Shrine Prostitute
by FlameTwirler
Summary: AU.In a society of ‘holy’ brothels and rampant racism against hanyou Inuyasha and Kagome meet from different parts of the world. What's a girl to do when faced with new realities, new hardships, and a new love? M-citrus, violence, language. IYFG/FA honors
1. Naivete

**A/N:** Just a quick note here. For more detail on the background of the AU, history of shrine prostitution, or answers to questions in previous reviews, please check the A/N at end of chapter.

Here at long last, I am starting the continuation to Shrine Prostitute. Please bear with me as I finagle through gaping plot holes, etc. (Chapter 1 was the original one-shot, the rest is slapped together). Any story that was originally intended as a one-shot with not much background is going to have some interesting navigating to do…

Anyhow, here's the first chapter. Not as much action, but setting up the stage for our characters. I'm always willing to take on criticism and suggestions, though I can't promise to conform to any of them.

Overarching disclaimer: If I owned it this wouldn't be written in English with made up Japanese words.

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Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler

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**Chapter 1: Naïveté**  
- absence of artificiality; natural or artless simplicity  
- having or showing a lack of experience, judgment, or information; having or expressing innocence and credulity; ingenuous

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Tradition.

It was a by-word, heck it was a motto for her family. Otherwise why it be placed ahead of propriety? Otherwise why would she be where she was right at that very moment, preparing to face the most uncomfortable situation of her life?

Kagome only had one thought as she stood there with her lone suitcase on the train platform: _My family must be crazy._

She still wasn't sure how the turn of events had led her to standing there, on her way to a secluded portion of inner Tokyo, heading to _that_ shrine no less. She shook her head at how anything so archaic, so primal, could still be clung to under the guise of 'tradition' and still openly practiced, accepted, heck…even admired in today's society.

Taking in a deep breath she steeled herself and resigned herself to her destination: the Bacana Shrine and a month's time filled with worship.

The Bacana Shrine existed for two purposes only: medical care and sex. Only the latter was well known, but the strange combination typified all circumstances surrounding the place. The shrine proper housed around two to three hundred prostitutes at any given time (although that was the number from her mother's days so who knew what it was now?), who were there to aid in the worship of those who came seeking the good graces of the kami.

Granted, the men and women working there were different from street-walking prostitutes, and even had a different title, since they were known as Tetsudai – helpers to the spirits – but it was close enough that some people didn't see a difference.

Of course the family of one Higurashi Kagome was not included in that minority. They were of the group that saw it as an honor and an easy way to start scoring some much needed points with the kami. If pleased by the offering, the spirits were said to bestow blessings on not only those who worshiped there, but also their families, friends, businesses, and communities.

She led a strange life to not only be on her way, but pushed to do so by her family and friends no less. In any other household, in any other world, she may have had the opportunity to be the kind of girl who snuck around with her boyfriend when her parents weren't looking, or maybe even the kind that waited until she was married to do anything.

Looking at her lacking love-life so far, she mentally determined she'd more likely be the latter. Still, not like that was a choice anymore at this late point.

She had grown up a member of the powerful Higurashi Shrine, granddaughter to the shrine keeper, and a well-recognized miko in her own right. She adored her family, even if they were a bit odd, but the death of her father had made them all rely on each other more and on the shrine itself for their position in life, and they were all closer together for it.

She loved her mom, she really did, but when she had started talking to Kagome about her duty to one day visit the Bacana Shrine when she was still only 10 years old…

Kagome let out a sigh.

At least it was better than when her mom recalled her own visit to the place before she'd married Kagome's dad. That dreamy look in her eyes and those words were definitely not something she ever wanted to see and hear from her mother of all people. She got the willies just thinking about it!

But over the years it had been mentioned in such an off-hand manner so often that it just became natural to assume that one day she'd be heading off to The Shrine, just in the same way that she assumed she'd one day be heading off to college.

Sure, she didn't know which college but it was just the next natural step for her to take after high school, there was no question in her mind. She didn't really love school or anything but she did love medicine and helping people, so she felt silly to waste the opportunity and it became another thing that just melded into the background of her life.

Kagome smiled wryly and shook her head as she stepped onto the train. This whole school analogy was going way too far, she kidded herself, but at least it took some of the nerves out of her current situation.

Sure, it's scary to leave home and go to a school where you don't know anybody, _or a shrine where you'll have sex with someone you don't know… _Kagome took a deep breath, _but it's not like it'll kill me or anything._ Besides, if anyone knew Kagome they knew she was always down for a good adventure.

_Who knows, it could be fun!_ she cheered herself on.

The dark haired miko smirked as she took her seat. She knew that her friend Ayumi would have shaken her head at the thought 'could be' instead of 'will be'.

She chuckled as she recalled how her friends had reacted when she told them for the first time about this particular shrine duty.

She'd gotten so used to hearing about it in her own home that when she off-handedly mentioned it one day when she was 15 she was momentarily at a loss for the reason every single person in the room was staring at her like she'd suddenly grown an arm out of the side of her head.

Her friends had had varied reactions: some were incredibly envious of her amazing 'opportunity', others harped on what a degrading situation it was for both her and the prostitute, while some were simply scandalized.

Yuka, the one ever ready to share tales of her own sexual exploits, at first exploded at the idea of having to pay someone for sex. However once Kagome shared that not only would her family would be paying for it but that it was supposed to bring blessings, Yuka was sold on the idea and continually ribbed her friend about it through the rest of high school.

In fact, she was so taken with the idea she kept asking how to sign up herself.

Kagome loved her friends, she really did, but she swore they were going to be the death of her. Any opportunity they got they were giving her 'advice' or sneaking 'how to' books into her bag.

_Oi!_ She got a headache thinking about it. That had turned out really well the time she'd forgotten her bag at school and the teacher was looking through it in order to determine the owner and return it.

She'd gotten hell from her teacher but what was even worse was her mother's reaction. Not only did she give her daughter's sensei an odd view of her family by laughing at the news and brushing it off as no big deal, but the woman actually found the idea to be particularly brilliant and started planting things herself.

After that Kagome was convinced her mother really was crazy.

Unfortunately for Kagome this lack of 'motherliness' (a.k.a. strictness) was not spread to other areas of life and she still got in trouble for staying out late, hanging with the wrong people, boys her mom didn't like, doing poorly on tests, etc.

But anytime this subject came up her mother got that look in her eye that made her skin do the crawly thingy again. Thankfully her mother never gave detail on her own escapades but she urged that as long as her daughter was going anyhow that she'd sure better enjoy herself.

Kagome prayed to any spirit listening that she wouldn't have to give details upon her return home.

Then had come her 18th birthday. She had finally become a legal adult, shedding her minor status and enabling her to finally make the trek to the Bacana Shrine.

She didn't think she'd ever seen her grandfather look so happy, so in addition to the obligatory perverted gifts from all her friends, the old man had bought her a nice traveling case for the occasion. A little out-dated, but nice.

The speakers on the train crackled to life, breaking into Kagome's reverie, announcing that her destination was a mere ten minutes away. Suddenly her nerves sprang to life full force and she cursed her hands as they trembled in her attempt to open her water bottle and relieve her suddenly parched mouth.

To calm herself she started going through all the last-minute advice from her well-wishers.

Her friends, from conservative Eri to liberal Yuka, all giggled and told her to have fun. Her mother gave her the outfit she was to wear on her first visit but refused to explain its purpose, simply saying it was the best outfit for the occasion and she wasn't to open it until she reached the Shrine. Souta hugged her and just laughed nervously, feeling awkward at sending his sister off on what he termed her 'crazy sex-worship adventure'.

_Thanks for that boost, Souta_, she had grumbled under her breath.

Her grandfather, oddly enough, had been her biggest support through it all. Though they didn't always get along well, just with the generation gap and the difference in values and ideas it brought, he seemed to best understand her reticence and nervousness.

Of course he tried to allay all her fears as quickly as possible since he was also the biggest proponent of her going, but at least he acknowledged her right to be timid while facing this kind of situation.

He understood the complexities of so much more than she gave him credit for. Today was three weeks to the day after her 18th birthday. She'd packed up right after her party and waved goodbye to her family to take a drastic step into adulthood.

The original plan had been for her to go when she was older, early to mid twenties depending on circumstances, but things happen. Kagome shrugged.

The train came to a halt and she found herself wandering the lighted streets of the district. It was still only early afternoon but the buildings were tall enough and close enough together that the strung lamps were lit even in the daytime.

It gave a cheery, almost festival atmosphere to the streets and Kagome found herself smiling sunnily as she continued on her way. Swinging her suitcase with each step she closed her eyes for a moment and felt like a care-free child with the thrill of adventure coursing through her veins.

Slowly turning the corner she stopped suddenly and did a double take at the magnificent structure in front of her, feeling her jaw drop. Dragging her eyes from the base of the building up to its highest point she slowly took in the adorned features and sheer size.

It was massive! She compared it to the last concert hall she'd been to when she saw the latest raging pop-band. Gradually her eyes rested on the large sign above the archway entrance that simply read "Bacana Shrine".

There were three main parts of the structure that was each topped in a spire, decorated excessively in charms. Each of the many windows below were also sporting at least three distinct charms, the numbers increasing the higher the window. Kagome stopped trying to count the number of windows once she reached fifty.

The traditional shrine appearance had been somewhat modified by combining elements of traditional Japanese palace and Greco-Roman art. The wood roof and red siding was off-set by rising gold scrolling up the planes of each corner; the yard was set with both bamboo and plaster fountains, along with bronze, plaster, and granite statues. She could only guess at half the figures therein.

Finally deciding that closing her gaping mouth would help prevent having insects for dinner, Kagome tried to make her feet move, however the darned things had chosen that exact moment to stop taking her commands. _Stupid feet, who needs em anyhow, eh? _

She took a deep breath as she waited for her body to calm enough to do what she wanted. Chancing a glance at the building again she chided herself. _See, it's not that bad, right?_

_Just because the scary looking gargoyle type thingies look like they want to eat me doesn't mean I should be scared, right? Just because there's a ridiculous amount of rooms in this place meaning lots of prostitutes and lots of experienced people visiting these prostitutes … oh my gosh I'm going to lose my virginity to someone I don't know – to a prostitute no less!_

"Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, oh my goodness…" Kagome willed herself to not hyperventilate at that thought. _Of course they're going to send the one person in the family who wouldn't jump for joy at mindless, nameless sex._ _I suppose I am the only one the right age_, she admitted silently. Unless she wanted to send her mom…and that was just wrong…

_Well, not that it won't be fun, but am I the only one who still thinks this is kind of weird?!_

As she finally got her legs to obey her and carry her toward the front doors of what she immediately termed 'the palace,' she continued her pep-talk. _Come on, there's bound to be some absolute hotties in there, and then you'll have some bragging rights over Yuka and won't have to listen to her horrid stories all the time and maybe my friends will stop trying to set me up with weirdos._

Kagome gasped as she entered and saw the throng of people milling about. She'd had no idea this many people would be here. She started when her arm was suddenly jerked and she whirled to face a panicked looking young woman.

"Are you one of the shrine maidens?" she screeched out, staring at Kagome's wardrobe.

With a confused expression she answered. "No, I'm sorry, I'm not from this shrine – " she started to explain, but gave up when the young girl ran away as quickly as she had come. _What on earth was that about?_ she wondered.

Only now that it had been brought to her attention did Kagome notice how much she stood out clad in the miko garb of her heritage. Her mother and grandfather had insisted on it to the point where her mother had come to dress her this morning. Not only that, she was almost positive that the outfit her mother had given her for this evening incorporated at least some portion of shrine attire into it.

It wasn't just that she stood out; she was even getting snickers from some of the less modestly clad women standing around. _Guess it's not their first time here, huh?_ she brooded sulkily.

Holding her head up high, determined to show the pride of her family line, she flung her hair and started toward the front of the room where she assumed she was to pay and make an appointment.

The squat little man she found squinting at the pages behind the pedestal, one almost as tall as he himself was, caught Kagome by surprise. It wasn't that he was such an odd looking man, it was just odd to find him here working administration and such.

Kagome fought the urge to giggle as she hid her smile behind her hand, but still couldn't help but beam at him when he finally glanced up from his books to give her the once over.

"Hello," she said cheerily as she performed her proper bow. Standing straight again she fought the urge to roll her eyes as he studied her over his round little glasses. She never failed to get that reaction when wearing this get-up in public.

"Busy day, huh?" Kagome queried, hoping to get the man to say something at least.

He shrugged his shoulders slightly as he tartly replied, "Not really."

Kagome's mind boggled at that. If today was not a busy day, she'd hate to see what one looked like.

"Name?" he asked, looking back down at his papers and marking something.

"Higurashi Kagome," she replied, mimicking his tone and disposition by standing straight and tall and puckering her lips slightly with a sour look on her face. By the look on his, he wasn't amused.

"Tetsudai name?"

"Huh, what?" _Wow, good one girl, amaze him with those vocabulary skills of yours there_.

He put down his pen exasperatedly. "The name of the one you want to see tonight? A favorite maybe? One you've seen before and haven't had a chance to try?"

Kagome flushed brilliantly when she realized not only what he meant but also at how inexperienced she was with the way things worked.

"Well see," she started as she twisted the hem of her haori in her fingers, "this is kinda my first time here?" She chanced a glance up at him through her eyelashes to prevent from showing the entirety of her face, her very red face she was sure.

Not even deigning to answer he turned to a small open door behind him set into a slight recess in the wall. "Hey Kazuma, get out here! We got a newbie!"

Kagome cringed as she knew the entire room had just heard the exclamation and were now aware of her situation. "Thanks…" she muttered under her breath. He spared her one sideways glance and then returned to his oh so important papers before a man in his early twenties, Kazuma she supposed, came careening out of the door, wiping his hands hastily on a towel.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming. Keep your shirt on." When the little, middle-aged man opened his mouth to begin his lecture or rebuttal, Kazuma cut in.

"No, really, I mean it. Do us all a favor; no one should be subjected to that." He smirked as he dropped the towel on the miniscule space that accounted for the man's desk then winked at Kagome.

"C'mon kid," he said as he grabbed her wrist and started dragging her away behind him, still smiling, "let me show you the ropes."

_Kid!?_ her inner self seethed. _I'm probably not even four years younger than you! What are you going on about?!_ Kagome had always been slightly sensitive about the fact that she looked young for her age, especially since it meant she'd still be treated like a child for at least part of her adult life.

Before they could get much farther Kagome abruptly stopped and turned, even though her escort deemed that an unworthy hindrance to his tour and just kept walking with his grip on her arm. So while walking backward she attempted to gain the attention of the front desk man by waving her free arm and yelling "Sir!" When that didn't work she gave up any pretense of decorum.

"Hey, you, the little old man with the glasses staring too hard at his papers!"

This had the desired effect as the man craned his head around to find the source of the distraction and when he found her still waving animatedly he scowled openly.

Kagome, starting to speak, was annoyed at the flow of people that still walked between them, blocking her view, so she began jumping up and down as she spoke. "What's your name? I didn't get your name!"

He hesitated only a moment before just barely raising his voice to say "Ryu" and then immediately looked back down.

Out of the corner of his eye he caught her exaggerated smile as she yelled back, "Nice to meet you, Ryu!" then finally turned back around to the increasingly persistent tugs of her guide.

Her back now turned, she didn't see the tiniest hint of a smile that graced his face even as he rubbed his temples and muttered "So loud…" to himself. All the same he couldn't help but think, _that girl is too open and naïve for a place like this._

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Kazuma laughed down at her as he found the door he was looking for. "So now you're hitting on the entire staff, eh?"

Kagome looked slightly harassed at the idea and had to suppress the urge to punch him in the arm or stick her tongue out at him, neither or which would be received well she was sure. "No, it's just if I'm going to be here for four weeks I figure I may as well befriend the people I'll be seeing during that time."

Kazuma half turned as he continued to lead her down the corridor. "Four weeks, is it? And a pretty little thing like you showing up in such an…interesting outfit." He winked quickly, letting her know he was joking (at least mostly) while he continued to appraisingly drag his eyes over her form from top to bottom.

She huffed at him, crossing her arms over her chest in an act of defense and irritation. "I happen to be a miko from the Higurashi shrine. My family has run it for centuries and I come representing them. Granted, this isn't every day run of the mill clothing for me, but I figure I can do what I can to honor all the work of my family. Besides," she began to mumble, "my mom wore the same thing her first time here, something about tradition…" Kagome trailed off as she fidgeted with her fingers.

Kazuma stopped and laid a hand on Kagome's head while she eyed him warily out of the corner of her eye. He noticed and smiled widely at her. "Nope, now nothing wrong with that."

When he noticed she wasn't following after he'd started walking again he yelled over his shoulder, "What, we doing this or not?" He laughed when she went from surprised to scowling as she trotted to catch up to him.

"Where are we going anyhow?" She realized she'd just been trailing him blindly and didn't even know what she was supposed to be doing next.

He glanced at her like she was stupid - and suddenly she felt she was - until he shattered her sulk with a smile again. "We're going to find you a partner for tonight!"

She smiled back at him as he turned the corner into a room. "And just how do we go about doing that?"

"With this!" he declared, patting the cover of an overlarge book. "This," he began, cracking the book open and turning the first page, "contains the profiles of each of our Tetsudai. Everything from photo to age, weight, height, likes, dislikes, expertise…" He trailed off while he rifled through the book, apparently looking for something in particular.

"Ah, here it is! What do you think of this guy?" He pointed to a photo and beckoned Kagome over to stand in front of him. She found herself looking at a conservative looking 25 year old man with tousled brown hair and an endearing enough smile, but somehow she just was not comfortable with his eyes.

_Besides, he looks kind of boring…_ Kagome smacked her palm against her forehead. _Wait! Did I actually just think that?! How is it possible to think anything about tonight could be classified as 'boring'?_ Remembering that Kazuma was still standing right behind her and raising an eyebrow at her antics, she laughed nervously as she waived her hand at him.

"Sorry, nothing. Umm..is it possible to look at someone else?" He smirked at her nervous answer and she had to wonder what was going through his head, or worse, what he thought she had been thinking about when viewing that photo. She groaned inwardly.

Luckily Kazuma pulled her from her misery as he pointed out another profile. "So what about this one?"

Over the next half hour Kagome turned down profile after profile until she noticed something. "Hey," she paused the man standing next to her as he started to leaf through the book again, "Why is it that all the ones we've looked at have the letters 'NG' on them?"

He stopped and turned to her. "It's an identifier we use. Some people want to try mixing up who they're with every time they come but still want the same type of experience. I figured you for the 'Nice Guy' type, so I pulled those up."

Kagome's mouth formed a silent 'o' as she took in the information, suddenly realizing that shrine prostitution was much larger and much more organized than she had originally thought.

"Here, why don't you just leaf through the book and let me know if you see anyone. Since you're here for four weeks you'll get to try a variety of different styles, so don't worry about your first choice too much. I'm sure you'll have fun no matter which way you go."

He winked at her and Kagome immediately turned her blushing face away from him and toward the book. She stopped again at the first page she turned to.

"I think there's a typo here. There's no way this guy's 126 years old! 26 maybe," she laughed.

Kazuma looked up from his magazine, _when did he get that?,_ and peeked over her shoulder. "Nope, that's right as rain. Hakkaku there is wolf youkai. The age range of the youkai here vary quite a bit, but they don't tend to stay very long. So if you like the looks of him you might want to snag him now."

Kagome sat there mouth agape after he turned back to his magazine. She turned slowly back to the photo, then to Kazuma, then to the photo, then Kazuma… "You sure you're not lying?"

"Yeah, I'm sure," he grunted without peeling his eyes away from whatever had him so entertained.

Staring warily at the photo in front of her Kagome heaved an inward sigh. _You'd think someone would have told me this shrine wasn't human only. Why had I expected anything about this day to be normal? _Shaking her head slightly she continued on her search.

After another _exhilarating_ hour of leafing through photos and reading statistics Kagome closed the book with a muffled scream. "It's just so hard to choose from a piece of paper! I mean, someone can seem perfectly normal in his photo and then turn out to be a total creep in person. Believe me, I've been set up on plenty of blind dates, so I know."

She shuddered at the thought of the last revolting boy she'd gone out with. Her friends were constantly trying to find her a boyfriend as if it was their sole mission in life and she'd finally given in to go out with one of Eri's classmates. He was described as quiet, studious, shy, and looked nice enough in his photo, but when they met in person she felt like all he did was leer at her.

She might have thought she was just being paranoid had he not tried to feel her up the first second the two of them were alone together. She actually had to smack him with her purse to get him to stop. Apparently in his vocabulary 'date' meant 'easy.'

And unfortunately that was only the most recent encounter. She could fill a short novel with her blind date horror stories.

She glanced over as Kazuma stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Well," he brightened, "why don't I just take you to meet them then?"

"Wh- What?!" she stuttered. He was already off his feet and heading out the door when she caught up with him. "What do you mean by that? There's no way I could meet every single one!"

"Of course there isn't!" There was that condescending, 'poor naïve little girl' voice again. "I'm taking you to dinner. All the Tetsudai are in there at once so there should be no problem."

He rounded the corner and started into a nicely decorated corridor before continuing. "It's unusual for a first-timer to be taken there, since we don't want to scare them off now, do we?" He winked at her. "But regulars go through there often enough that we won't stand out too much."

He stopped in front of two large paneled doors and grasped the bronze handles. "Don't think anything of it if they look at you funny. It's what they're here for, so you just study them to your heart's content." With that he slid the heavy door open and led her in.

Kagome was bombarded by the echoing din of voices, scraping metal, and banging wood, and had to fight to not hide behind Kazuma's back to gain her bearings. Although the room was massive by her standards, there were easily a hundred people there and some were trying to converse from across the room it seemed.

She forced herself to keep her back straight and head erect as she levelly and coolly scanned the group before her. _Nothing too out of the ordinary…unless you count the number of men staring straight at me as abnormal. No, that's totally normal, everyday occurrence, right?_

Kazuma grabbed her wrist and started to lead her through the crowd. Before they even made it to the other side of the room Kagome started to feel ill. Half the guys she passed clearly snubbed her and her appearance. She didn't know whether to take offense to her face, her body, or her heritage by choice of miko garb. The other half leered like they'd never seen a female before and had to exert terrible control to not rip her from Kazuma's grasp and strip her bare right there.

Sure, she was exaggerating, but that's what nerves could do to a girl. In other circumstances it might be very flattering, but at the moment Kagome wanted nothing more than to melt into the wall.

Then she noticed it: an abnormality. It wasn't even his appearance, though the ears and bright shock of silver hair were quite extraordinary. It was his reaction to seeing her. He glanced up, then as if he had seen right through her turned back to his tray and continuing to pile up the surprising amount of food he was apparently going to ingest. Kagome made her decision right there.

"Okay, I've decided," she informed her companion confidentially. He followed her gaze and startled slightly, until he put together what he thought was two and two and smirked in revelation.

"Oh, so you're one of those," he remarked, turning her around and heading back for the doors they entered by.

"What do you mean by that?" Kagome whirled, not sure whether or not to take offense.

He continued walking in silence and Kagome began to wonder whether or not he was going to answer her. She was ready to state her question again when he noisily slid the doors back into place and they were back out in the corridor. "Let me guess, you have a special kind of outfit you're wearing tonight, not just the normal lingerie?"

His insinuation made Kagome blush as she let her dropped her head in embarrassment to let her bangs cover her eyes. How had he known? She bit her lip and nodded her head, looking at an extremely interesting spot on the floor.

"Good, good," he laughed, patting her heartily on the back. "You should have told me at the beginning and I could've saved us some time. Oh well." He grinned widely. "I'd never have pegged you for one, but if I've learned anything here it's to never judge by appearances because you're always surprised!"

He guffawed his way back into the front room where he had Ryu sign her up for the night. The middle-aged man peered at her over his glasses as if looking for something but just as quickly shrugged it off and continued writing.

"I trust Kazuma informed you of all the goings on, the rules, and the methods of payment?" he asked without even looking up.

"I – uh – sure?" _Smooth Kagome, that sounded real sure of yourself there._

Ryu sighed while putting down his pen, then glared at Kazuma. "What do I even keep you around for you lazy - "

He cut himself off as he started swatting at Kazuma's head. Kagome fought to smother her giggles as the smaller man had to almost jump to reach the top of the younger man's head. "Why don't you just go clean something!" He all but shoved Kazuma into the room he had appeared from earlier that day and, with a wink to Kagome, he was gone.

While Ryu was taking his seat he continued to grumble something about how hard it was to find good workers or something to that effect and Kagome continued to laugh. It seemed that in all the excitement she'd been forgotten so she cleared her throat.

"What are you smiling for?" he snapped.

Kagome raised her eyebrow in protest. "Is there anything wrong with smiling Ryu?" He started when she said his name; she guessed he wasn't used to hearing it from the people who passed through here every day. They probably never bothered. Pity really, these two seemed highly entertaining to her.

Ryu rubbed the slightly bald spot on his head, making Kagome wonder if the hair had receded naturally or from his constant attention.

"Sorry, but I do not have much time for chit-chat today…" he glanced at his notes, "…Kagome, but I trust you understand payment?"

His glower didn't seem nearly as menacing as he meant it to be and Kagome had to fight to take him even a quarter as seriously as he took himself. "Yessir!" she saluted him. He didn't think it was half as funny as she did.

"Anyhow," he continued on, regardless, "6000 yen per hour, paid in advance. You can pay nightly, weekly, or for the entire month, but any time you go over the one hour limit will be detracted from the remaining amount. Got that?" His look told her she better; he wasn't going to elaborate or explain anything a second time.

"Yeah, yeah," Kagome waved him off. "You get what you pay for. Follow the rules, don't make anyone mad, and most importantly, don't annoy the front clerk!"

Said front clerk merely rolled his eyes and waved her off with a flick of his hand. "Get on with you. Before you even ask, you're in room 112 tonight at 10pm sharp." Kazuma glanced up from his 'oh so important' paperwork to give her one final admonition. "And please, do have some care tonight. Just because it's someone else's toy doesn't mean you should break it."

Kagome had no clue what he was talking about but nodded sagely like he'd just given her some valuable insight into life.

Giving him a small wave she was off to the find the small apartment she was renting the month she was here. She found it relatively easily and was relieved at the simple, functional décor. She'd been afraid her grandfather was going to find her something hideous.

The place was set up as a studio with a living room to the right, a kitchen and bathroom behind that, and a large king size mattress that took up most the left side of the apartment. Kagome thought she'd died and gone to heaven.

Dropping her bag on the ground she flopped onto the bed, spreading her arms and legs out as far as they could go and squealing when she still didn't feel the ends of the mattress. Glancing at the clock she found she had enough time to sneak in a little nap before getting ready and heading back to the Bacana Shrine and searching out room 112, then smiled dreamily as her head found the down pillows.

Thinking over the events of the day she drifted off. The rest of the night was a blur between the buzzing of the alarm, getting ready, and getting lost in the complex maze of hallways inside the shrine…until she was there.

Now she stood frozen. Still. The reality of it was rearing its ugly head and banging against hers like a drum. She was actually going to do _that _with whoever was on the other side of this door: a man whose face she'd seen for all of 5 seconds.

Raising her hand, she prepared to knock.

* * *

Definitions:

Tetsudai – variation on 'helper'

Bacana – the name of the shrine is loosely based on the Roman/Greek god Bacchus/Dionysus who was the god of fertility and wine.

* * *

**A/N:** This is to hopefully answer/appease multiple questions/comments raised to the previous one-shot.

To DeMoNMiKo192. and the multiple others who asked:

This story is set in an AU where Greek and Roman culture was never wiped from the face of the earth. Instead it migrated over to Japan where it was assimilated somewhat.

Buddhism is a religion that adapts to its surrounds and environments, to the point of taking on foreign deities and practices and incorporating them into the religion.

The Greek/Roman world really did have shrine prostitutes, most often associated with Aphrodite (goddess of love) and Bacchus (god of wine/merrymaking). It actually constituted worship to go and have sex with a shrine prostitute and was a culturally accepted practice. I've heard much more about the presence of male prostitutes, especially young boys, than of female prostitutes. For the sake of this fic, and having it occur in the present, everyone is going to be of legal age so there's no nasty pedophilia or anything of the like, and while there are female prostitute, the focus will of course be on the guys.

Neither are demons extinct or in hiding in this fic, although that'll be explained much more later. Let's just say for now that they are living side by side. It may not be friendly, but they're not killing each other either.

Luna Chic NSI: Thanx for catching that the conversation was jumpy. I had intended to make it somewhat so, considering the very awkwardness and uncomfortableness of the situation, and wanted the conversation to mirror that, but perhaps I went a little overboard. Hell, could just be I suck at writing a conversation that flows well, but that was my intention at least.

To C & C Bandit: You're right, I had originally planned this as a one-shot, so I wasn't given as much to historicity and other things that would have to carry through. Although I explained the historic context of temple prostitution above, you're right that it does not exist in Buddhism (as far as I know), but for the sake of this fic it does. The point is not that Kagome must go have sex. It was simply her choice that this was her first time, which I felt kept her in character more since I still see her as more the innocent virginal type. She could have had sex with a boyfriend or something before going to the shrine, but she just hadn't. The point of going to the shrine is not to become 'experienced' or anything like that, it's just seen as an important, vital form of worship to be completed by everyone now and again. Historically, the more time you spend with the prostitute 'worshipping,' the more you are pleasing the gods and the more they bless you. Her family wanted blessings for the shrine, and seeing it as 'worship' and not something sleazy, they sent her for a full month.

Regarding the other stuff you mentioned, I'll work on it ^_^

* * *

Original FF version posting: July 22, 2006

Edited: July 9, 2007


	2. Initiation

**Important A/N – if you read no other please read this one:**

I wish to make it clear this story was originally written in another context and posted on sites that allowed a more risqué writing style. Since then, and after adding many more chapters than I'd originally intended, the plot has grown, magnified, and taken over in a way I'd never foreseen.

As such I am editing and rewriting portions to make a purely plot-driven version (which I think I will actually prefer) to post here, in conjunction with the two other versions floating around out there on and .

PLEASE NOTE this story is set in a bordello of sorts and deals almost exclusively with the social aspects and culture of prostitution, therefore while not explicit, sex will be referenced quite often. If you find any of this too extreme please let me know and I will do what I can to remedy it but just also keep in mind that this is the world the characters live in.

All that being said I hope you enjoy this story. ^_^

* * *

Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler

* * *

**Chapter 2: Initiation**  
- formal admission or acceptance into an organization or club, adult status in one's community or society, etc.  
- to begin, set going, or originate

* * *

Kagome held her hand ready to knock on the Tetsudai's door, hesitated, and lowered it again. She was nervous; more nervous than she'd ever been about anything. Taking a deep breath she remembered it was her duty, nay, her _privilege_ to represent her family here and worship in the main shrine of Tokyo.

She thought back with a wistful smile at how proud and excited her family had been sending her off.

She looked up and stared at the beautiful kanji written above the door in front of her: 'Shrine Prostitute' it read. She had to shake her head. Not even a hundred years prior she likely would have been sent there when she was still a young teenager, but current laws about just what constituted pedophilia prevented that, thankfully. But now she was eighteen and her family was counting on her.

She took one last moment to brush her hands through her hair and straighten her outfit – the very one her mother gave her for this night. Pulling down on the miko top and making sure the seams were straight on the skirt variation of the conventional miko pants, she heaved a sigh.

_Here goes nothing_, she thought, her pulse beating in her ears as she raised her hand again to knock on the door.

Nothing happened.

She knocked again, and still no response. Looking about despondently, worried she'd come to the wrong room, or at the wrong time, or that the Tetsudai inside had a camera trained on her and found her quite lacking and thus refused to open the door, her eyes finally landed on the very non-traditional buzzer built into the wall adjacent the doorknob.

A nervous giggle made its way from her throat.

Of course. Trust her to miss the obvious and jump to all the wrong conclusions. She just needed to ring the bell and he'd answer the door. Just ring the bell...

Her finger hovered over the button for a few seconds, and she swallowed soundly, before firmly pushing the button.

A gruff reply sounded from the other side of the door as soon as the heavy object was yanked open. Her heart fluttered at the sight of the man in front of her: thick black pants, long silver hair, nice chest – _wait, what!_ _He's taking off his shirt already! _She fought to keep from hyperventilating.

He spun to look at her, his heavy golden eyes gripping her. "We gonna do this or not? Let's just be done with it."

Noticing she had failed to close the door, he stepped behind her to do it. That's when he smelt her nervousness, her fear. "What you afraid of girl? It's not like you haven't done this before."

When she didn't answer but just continued to fidget and stare at the concrete beneath her feet, he hesitated. He drew himself closer to her face, and she could've sworn he _sniffed_ at her. "_Have_ you done this before?"

Her eyes flitted up momentarily before sinking to the floor again as she vigorously shook her head no.

He narrowed his eyes in disbelief and just a bit of suspicion. "Never with a shrine prostitute, or _never_ never?"

"Never, never," she replied shyly, blushing as she finally raised her head to look at him.

"Of course they couldn't tell me she's a virgin," he mumbled to himself. "They want me to act like an ass…"

Clearing his throat he started to backtrack awkwardly. "Hey, I..uh..sorry 'bout that. Didn't know you were new to this and all. Promise I won't be like that anymore tonight." He smiled just a bit when he saw her relax, which in return made her calm down a bit when his face softened. Maybe he hadn't screwed everything up.

"Make yourself comfortable and come sit down." He sat on the bed, patting the spot next to him.

She looked up with a hesitant smile, trying to command her feet to work, but they were still decidedly working against her.

"What's wrong? I promise I won't bite. Unless, of course, you want me too."

He waggled his eyebrows for effect and she couldn't help it; it was just so ludicrous and cliché that she had to laugh. What started as a scowl - or dare she say, a pout? he had been trying to be nice after all - slowly melted into a smirk as he saw her relaxing as she released some of her pent up nerves.

"Look, it's all good doing some chit-chat to help you along in the process, but it doesn't do _that_ much good if you're set on staying on the opposite side of the room."

Kagome couldn't really fault his logic, so she nodded her head. When she didn't move though, he snorted and patted the bed beside him again.

When she sat, Kagome quickly looked away from him; she could not believe that she was actually sitting there with a half-naked man that she didn't even know. "So what's your reason for being here?" he asked nonchalantly, hoping that conversation might loosen her up so she wouldn't remind him so much of a frightened rabbit in the sights of a predator.

His frustration got the better of him though when she would not turn to him, even as she began to formulate an answer. "I'm here for four weeks. I live in a shrine with my family and WAAHHH!" she exclaimed as she was abruptly picked up and found her new position quite compromising, as she was now straddling the stranger's legs, their faces dangerously close.

The worst part about the position was that her skirt had bunched at her hips; while it left her decently covered, her friends had advised her not to wear any underwear the first day - for which she would make them pay dearly when she got home - so she was feeling a bit drafty and thoroughly embarrassed. She hoped to any spirit or deity listening that he wouldn't notice.

Of course the furious blush she must be sporting, if the heat she could feel radiating was any indication, might be just a bit of a tip off.

"What did you do that for?!" she hissed when she finally had her breath back.

"You wouldn't look at me," he said with a shrug. "How are you supposed to get comfortable with me if you can't even look at my face?"

She knew he made sense, but that still didn't mean she had to like it, so she settled on glaring at him for the moment. "So what's your name?"

"Wha…my name?" He looked surprised as she nodded. "Inuyasha."

_What's with people here and being surprised when their names are asked_? she wondered.

"Nice to meet you Inuyasha, I'm Kagome," she extended her hand in the little space provided between their bodies and after a moment of suspicion Inuyasha shook it. Sure, it was a western greeting, but it did double duty of allowing her to initiate some physical contact while at the same time putting extra distance between their torsos and giving her some breathing room for a moment.

"So…" She searched for a new conversation topic, their earlier one forgotten. Her face brightened as her hand traveled upward. "…Tell me about these cute little ears of yours." She laughed slightly as her fingers brushed against one of the furry triangles, only to have her hand abruptly ripped away.

"Is that what this is all about!" Inuyasha bellowed, hot breath pouring in pants to blast against Kagome's face. "Damn it, I should have known."

"W-what are you talking about?" she asked, genuinely confused.

"Oh, don't play like that," he countered. "I can see right through innocent acts like that. You think a real virgin would ever pick to come here? To me? The only clients that come here are fucked up in the head and have their fun with me. What, you decide physical torture wasn't enough and you wanted to play with my head too?!"

Kagome had heard enough. She put both hands on his chest and pushed against him with all her might, sending him hurtling down to the bed. He lay still but coiled with pent up rage, while Kagome stared down at him, her anger coming off in waves he could almost see.

"How dare you?!" she yelled back at him. "You know nothing about me and yet make snap judgments like I'm evil incarnate. I would never – and I mean _never_ – do that to anyone. It's just not right! I'm here for family reasons: as I said I _live_ in a shrine. I am a virgin, and yes I did choose you."

She took a second to catch her breath, and realizing she had been moving closer and closer to him with each word of her tirade, sat back upright. Extending a hand down to him she pulled him back up to a sitting position as well.

"I chose you because you were the only Tetsudai here that I liked. The others that I saw pictures of or observed, they had this funny feel about them. The guys I saw in person either looked down at me like I wasn't worthy of their attention or they stared at me like I was a piece of meat to be scavenged. I don't think you even noticed me when I walked by you earlier and I took that to mean you didn't take the job as seriously. That's why I thought you wouldn't mind that I'm a virgin and don't exactly know what I'm doing here."

He couldn't believe what he was hearing, let alone seeing. There were tears swimming in her eyes, most likely due in the majority to her embarrassment at the moment, but also because of him. Maybe she really was telling the truth. He put his hand to her jaw to quiet her. "You stupid or what? Of course I don't mind that you're a virgin. Normally the guys fight all over themselves to get anyone 'untouched', like it's some kind of conquest."

She laughed half-heartedly at that. "I dunno, I guess that's just surreal, and not what I expected in this place. Out there," she nodded her head, indicating the world outside the Shrine, "occasionally you hear about or run into guys that are still like that, but for the most part they want girls who've already learned all the good tricks."

He huffed. "We do this every blasted night, and there are few, if any, tricks that any of us won't know. Innocence and freshness is so damn appealing _because_ it's new. I just figured that, because of that, you must be lying."

"Why is that?"

He sighed and dropped his hand. "Didn't I explain this already? I'm the joke around here. They keep me on only because the sick ones like to have their fun. I stay because it's the only way a hanyou can stay alive in this world on his own. Got nowhere else to go. Good trade all around, ne?"

Hanyou. Glancing up for a split second, she realized that explained the ears.

She brought both her hands up to cup his face. "I'm sorry." His surprise was evident on his face. It wasn't every day, hell _any_ day in his life that anyone had shown compassion for him – not since his mother had died. Looking in her eyes, he could almost believe that she meant it.

Feeling a need for a change from the serious direction of their conversation Kagome reached forward and grabbed a strand of his hair, fiddling with it. "I do like the cute ears, though," she smiled and winked at him.

She gasped as his entire demeanor changed, then suddenly turned her head to try to determined the source of a strange ripping sound she couldn't place. Looking down she saw the torn remains of his pants and the clawed hands hanging by his sides, making the connection; she hadn't truly understood, but oh did she now. Her entire face flushed red and she continued to intently study a single piece of fabric lying on the bed, refusing to look anywhere else for fear of dying from the overwhelming sense of mortification.

Inuyasha was sad to determine, looking at her apoplectic face, that her heavy breathing wasn't due to him – or rather it was, but not for the reason he was looking for. She looked to be struggling to refrain from either hitting him or running from the room. He wasn't good at dealing with a woman's discomfiture, but since he wasn't too apt for her to follow through on either notion right now he knew he had to try.

Leaning forward he whispered against her ear, "Just relax and do what you feel. Do anything you want, touch anything, say anything. It isn't possible to mess this up."

Her eyes weren't fixed on the bed anymore but still flitted about, landing anywhere but his face. All of a sudden it seemed she made a decision, squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, then opened them with renewed resolution as she leaned in to kiss him. Immediately she felt him tense up as he broke away, but upon seeing her broken and confused face he crumbled and leaned in for a chaste kiss. A moment later he pulled back again and silenced the forthcoming complaint with his own words.

"You know this is probably going to hurt, right?"

She nodded, laughing a little. "My friends _do_ talk to me, you know. Just because I don't partake in the lifestyle doesn't mean I don't know anything about it."

Good, at least she wasn't completely naïve.

"Now look in my eyes," he waited until she finally stilled and relaxed in front of him, raising her eyes to his, "and don't look away no matter what."

He lifted her and even when she wanted to cry out at the burst of pain she found she couldn't. She was somehow paralyzed in his gaze, entranced by those amber eyes and the intensity behind them, the hidden depths that she knew he tried to hide. Whether it was intentional on his part or not, she was able to grasp tiny glimpses of him through that gaze and was amazed at what she saw, at the pain and sorrow hidden there behind a mask of bravado. So mesmerized was she that she was barely aware of anything else going on but the growing connection between the two of them.

Quite without her conscious knowledge the dam grew to overflowing and the universe burst behind her eyes. Inuyasha, stunned, stared at her, amazed to feel it coming upon him too considering how gentle he'd been with her. As one who worked with sex day in and day out it wasn't uncommon to be unsatisfied after a client was finished with her session.

Leaning up he kissed her exposed neck, such an innocent, unconscious sign of submission, and held her tightly against him.

Slowly they came down off their highs, panting breaths falling in each other's hair. He picked her up from on top of him and slowly laid her out on the bed. In the process she happened to see the clock and panicked, knowing the hour's time she'd paid for had already elapsed. She struggled to stand, her legs still a bit wobbly. "I've…got to go…you'll be late for your next appointment."

Strong hands pushed her firmly back down to the bed as he sat next to her. "What makes you think I have a next appointment? Besides, for virgins we give 'em the rest of the night free. That way they don't have to deal with the whole hustle-bustle, in-and-out quick, business side of things. Don't want to disillusion you too quick now, do we?" Kagome would've sworn she saw what resembled a snicker cross his face.

"So does that mean…"

"Yup," he interrupted. "You're not done yet."

Inuyasha got up from where he sat and situated himself until he was kneeling between her knees. As he crawled up her body Kagome suddenly got the sensation of being prey caught before the predator, but oddly enough this time it excited her more than it frightened her. "Wait," she asked breathlessly, noticing how he stopped and his ears drooped ever so slightly. "No, not that silly," she said, jokingly slapping him on the chest. "I just had a question I wanted to ask before I forget. When I kissed you earlier why did you tense up?"

_Hmm...maybe the girl was more innocent than he'd even originally thought._ "All prostitutes, even Tetsudai, have a general rule that they don't kiss. It's a bit more intimate, more emotion used. Helps prevent bonds from forming."

"Why is that so bad?"

_Man, this girl was either really dense, or was just something else._ "Why get close to someone you'll probably never see again?"

"Oh," she said lamely.

"Enough of this," he decided suddenly, leaning forward again. She shivered involuntarily as she felt his warm breath against her skin, then his lips, and finally his tongue, as he launched an all out assault on her neck.

She pushed back gently on his chest and he looked down at her curiously. He was so close she could only see his face and part of his chest but she drank in his countenance. The silence was deafening to him and he was afraid of what this meant from a girl like her. She was staring at him, a mix of marked astonishment and curiosity on her face. Slowly a small smile spread across her face as she declared, "Inuyasha, I hate to say it, but you're gorgeous!"

Her smile turned into a grin as she noticed he had the faintest tint of a _blush_ on his face after her declaration. Did he not think he was the most magnificent male to walk the earth or had she just used too feminine a word? It would be too fun to find out…

"Sorry, sorry," she amended, careful to cover her giggles with a cough. "I meant that in an entirely macho, masculine way." She winked at him and he scowled back. "Should I instead say beautiful?" He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the floor. "Then how about amazing? Stunning? Glorious… striking… splendid… wonderful… magnificent…"

Her voice dropped and her smile faded with each new adjective she threw at him and his blush was back ten-fold. His eyes drew back to hers and the intensity was back and no matter how hard she tried she couldn't move her gaze from his. She felt like they were a snake with its charmer, though she couldn't figure out who played which role. She drew a hand up and caressed the side of his face, stunned when she saw him momentarily flinch. He caught himself immediately and stilled, watching her intently, _almost in embarrassment?_ she wondered, but she just continued to smile at him and smooth her thumb across his cheek until he relaxed into her.

He lavished her with pleasures unknown for the rest of the night, being careful to not do too much in order to prevent her from being sore, knowing she had to do this again the following night and not knowing how rough her next Tetsudai might be. Kagome, amidst the sensations curling around her and settling in her belly, was amazed at his control, being able to do so much to her in one night without fulfilling himself. He was so gentle to her, so kind, and she knew she had picked the right guy. From the moment she saw him she knew that his gruff exterior belied a tenderness he refused to let show. She'd taken a risk that she'd be able to pull it out of him and see someone besides the rough foul-mouth Kazuma had warned her he was when making the assignment.

Inuyasha, for his part, was amazed at the woman in his arms, as she convulsed against him again and he was bowled over with the sense of power she invoked in him. The way she let herself go with him might have seemed normal to anyone else but to the outcast hanyou it was an unwarranted show of trust that made him feel like the most powerful man in the world despite his heritage and all other obstacles. For the moment he was able to forget that he was hanyou and she human and they were simply male and female.

He only prayed that during her next four weeks here he would be blessed with her presence once again and he'd get to enjoy all the things he could not let himself do tonight.

She exploded violently one last time for him and he could tell by her droopy eyes that she had taken all she could for the night. Carefully he pulled her sweaty bangs back from her face, placing a feather light kiss on her forehead. When he drew himself back up he noticed the steady rhythm to her breathing. She had already fallen asleep. Glancing back and forth, decision suddenly made, he leaned down one more time and brushed his lips delicately against hers.

Yawning himself, he laid down beside her almost exactly as he had been, one leg covering hers, head resting on her shoulder, arm thrown lazily across her stomach. Silently he thanked the kami for this one night, this one precious gift. It was too much to hope that this would ever happen again, but for once he was content, and he almost wished the dawn wouldn't come so he wouldn't have to say goodbye to the angel in his arms.

* * *

**A/N:**

Obviously, as I've had to edit this and rewrite many sections, the lengths of these chapters are going to vary widely. Hopefully you're alright with that, because that's the way it's going to be. ^_^


	3. Intuition: Fight or Flight

Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler

* * *

**Chapter 3: Intuition – Fight or Flight**  
- direct perception of truth, fact, etc., independent of any reasoning process; immediate apprehension.  
- pure, untaught, noninferential knowledge; instinctive knowledge or belief

* * *

Inuyasha woke to the sound of the hinges on his door creaking open.

Though the Bacana Shrine's designers had tried to keep more in theme with the feudal motif, it was found that for multiple reasons a heavier material for the doors and walls was preferable. Namely, it allowed less sound to be carried. In a building with the purposes of this one, that was quite an advantage. (Excepting the singular hall for those who leaned toward the exhibitionistic and voyeuristic; there the traditional rice paper doors led to each room.)

Of course, since Inuyasha had come to reside in this particular room the doors had been double insulated: one of the many 'perks' for the particular type of clientele he serviced here, in addition to such things as the bare trappings and the shackles on each post of the bed.

Grumbling as he raised his head, Inuyasha had just enough time to focus his eyes on the figure in the doorway. Features became clear and he realized the woman – Kagome – was raising a hand in an awkward farewell before she exited and closed the door behind her.

_Damn_, he thought, rubbing a hand tiredly across his face. "Kuso!"

Rolling onto his back he groaned inwardly. He couldn't believe he'd actually fallen asleep. He never fell asleep with women, but that one stupid ningen girl had just made him so comfortable! So much so he'd fallen into a deeper sleep than he had in ages, enough so that he didn't rouse when she slunk out of his arms that morning.

He didn't have the chance to thank her, or come as close as he could to thanking anybody. He didn't get to ask her to come again one more time in her month here so that he'd get to try any of the delicious things that came to mind when thinking about her delectable body. He didn't get to say…well...anything.

Growling, he glanced at the clock and saw it was only 9 a.m.

Normally he'd just be going to bed, but since he'd slept so much during her first night… Inuyasha swore and threw his pillow at the clock.

He still had the rest of the day to stew in his stupidity.

* * *

He was not in the best of moods when his shift started that evening. Not only was he still mad at himself, and now her for having the audacity to sneak out on him, but he was going to have to deal with whatever nutcase they saddled him with whenever his next appointment came up.

The food on his plate was getting cold as he mindlessly pushed it around with his claw.

At least he didn't have an appointment set tonight. That was the one and only benefit of having to service the whackos, was that thankfully they weren't as common. He would often go for a couple days or even a week without a customer.

Then of course fate would laugh at him and he'd get some twisted psycho on his back for five nights in a row. Still, at least he usually got a couple days for recovery time until the next one showed up.

However, today seemed to be one of those days that he was a blow-up punching bag for one of the incredibly fickle kami. He tried not to snarl as he saw Kazuma barreling down on him, no doubt bearing wonderful news.

"Got a last minute addition for you, Inu." Damn, but the man knew he hated that nickname.

Kazuma repressed a chuckle at the heated glare he got in return. "I think you'll like this one though. She's…perky."

Perky? Inuyasha wondered. Who knew what that could mean when coming from the likes of someone like Kazuma. "What time?" he groused.

"Oh, in about…" he glanced at his watch, "15 minutes."

"Of course it is. Wouldn't want to give me time to get ready now, would we?" Inuyasha didn't wait for a reply as he chucked his tray into the cleaning line then stalked off for his room.

Things were not looking up.

There hadn't been anyone on his roster when he checked this morning, and most of his clientele made appointments in advance to make sure he was free. After all, if he wasn't then they had to go with someone else with more complete rights and couldn't be guaranteed their free and full amount of 'fun'.

As such, he'd spent his entire day sulking and hadn't even bothered to change his sheets yet, let alone do any other kind of cleaning required.

Still thrashing around his room, throwing open the closet door to grab a fresh change of bed clothes, he let loose a growl when he heard the knock on the door.

"Come in!" he snapped, yelling loud enough that the insulation didn't matter, not really caring if he offended the person on the other side.

Cursing his profession for the umpteenth time that week, he steeled himself against the humiliation of doing his own housekeeping in front of his new customer. Letting the sheet fall down in place and stuffing the dirty ones in the closet he turned to face the woman (at least, he hoped it was a woman) he'd been so fastidiously ignoring.

He came to a half mid-step and his jaw dropped when he saw who was standing there. "Ka- Kagome?" he asked, a combination of confusion and suspicion lacing his voice.

"Uh yeah it's me, hi again." She smiled brightly up at him, her embarrassment tingeing her cheeks ever so slightly. "I don't know if this is normal at all or anything, but I figured last night was fine and I know you now – well, kind of – so I don't have to get familiar with someone else all over again when I'm still not really used to doing this. I hope you don't mind? I mean…"

Yup, this was definitely Kagome alright. Between the stupid notions she had about what the Tetsudai workers would mind and the way she babbled when she was nervous (or so he guessed, technically he supposed he'd never seen her when she wasn't nervous) there was no mistaking it, even only knowing her after a night.

Inuyasha smirked inwardly as he started to tune her out. He was sure she was just rambling the same inane stuff anyhow about those odd ideas she had; he wondered how long it would take for her to catch on to the way things worked around there. Part of him wanted to take pleasure in being the one to chase those ideas away, but even then he wondered if part of her would stay blissfully naïve and innocent anyhow.

By now he'd finished cleaning and snapped back to the situation in front of him due to the fact that Kagome had finished her speech he tried to look like he'd followed everything. Locking his eyes on her face he sat on his bed and patted his left hand on the sheet.

Kagome took a small step forward before she knew it. Only once she felt her foot touch down did she realize what she was doing, shaking herself from the trance Inuyasha's gaze had put her in. Mentally, she groaned. _He must think I want to get right down to it after only one time! Does he really think I'm that easy?_ Then she wondered, _Is that even a bad thing in this place? _She hesitated in her steps while her eyes flickered between Inuyasha's hand and his face.

He, however, was losing his patience. He wanted her, and he wanted her now, damn it! Reigning in on his thoughts he patted the bed again, a bit harsher this time.

She closed the door behind her with a soft click and took a single small step forward. What would he think of her coming back like this? Kagome felt like she was breaching some unwritten protocol by being there and she grimaced slightly as she felt her face warm from her flush. Frustrated by how much she must be coming across as a frightened school girl, she pasted a smile on her face and looked in his direction, though she still refrained from making eye contact. She just knew her embarrassment would overload if she did that right now.

For his part, Inuyasha was having trouble believing that his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. Since when did anybody not severely messed up in the head come to him a second night? Did she have any idea what it meant to have her standing in front of him again? It was the same as saying, Hey, you were a really good lay, wanna go again? The thought of those words coming out of her mouth had the simultaneous reaction of making him want to laugh at the chance of that happening, and the sheer arousal that spread all through his body at the desire that it would. But since he knew what it meant, who was he to disappoint?

"Kagome." Inuyasha's voice broke the stillness in the room and seemed to knock Kagome from her fidgeting trance.

"Um, yeah, hi." Her right hand left her shirt hem to do a little mock wave. She caught what she was doing a bit too late and inwardly groaned. Act a little more childish, can we? This thought gave her the boost to finally look him in the face and address why she was there.

Catching his eyes she started off as forcefully as she could, "Okay, so I'm here a second night. I figured that since I already knew you and you already knew that I was a virgin until last night that it might be easier to just come back here. That makes sense, doesn't it?" She nodded slightly at her own logic, not looking for a response from him. "So it's fine that I came back here, right? I mean, I won't break any rules by being here a second night?"

Inuyasha chuckled. He'd never seen anyone so embarrassed, but damn if it didn't make her even cuter. "Of course not. There's nothing wrong with being here a second night," he told her. "Nothing wrong with a third or fourth either…" he added under his breath.

Kagome slanted a suspicious glance at him. "What was that?"

"Keh, nothing," he said, folding his arms over his chest. Damn woman wasn't supposed to actually hear that, well not unless she was already planning on coming those consecutive nights…Inuyasha caught himself before his mind could trail after those thoughts.

"The way I see it," he continued, "the only thing wrong with this situation is that you're over by the door, and wearing way too much." To emphasize his point he lowered his crossed arms and grabbed the bottom of his shirt, yanking it over his head and depositing it at the foot of the bed. One hand swiping a few strands of hair from his face he used the other to pat the bed next to him. "Coming?" he queried.

Kagome flushed all over and she could actually feel the heat rising from her skin. She could only imagine how red she looked.

Wow, that's quite the look you're going for. Ovenripe tomato is it? Oh no dear, that would be scandalous indeed. This look is sunripened tomato. Much more distinguished, don't you agree?

Kagome grimaced for what must be the third time in as many minutes. It didn't matter what kind of tomato she was, neither was going to win her any awards for being attractive. Red skin tone is not something you typically see on a guy's "want" list.

She mentally shook herself. What was she so worried for anyhow? She was a newbie at this; she'd be more shocked if she wasn't embarrassed. He was the professional here. It was therefore all his fault that she was discomfited because he should have had more tact like he had the night before instead of forcing her to essentially…in her mind…throw herself at him, and now he…_he is currently staring at my chest._

Inuyasha didn't even notice where his gaze had wandered until he heard her instinctive gasp. He hadn't meant to, it's just when she got that fierce flush he found himself wondering how far it extended, whether it stopped at her neck, or if it trailed down from there over her collarbone and…and that's when his gaze got snagged. He could sense the heat radiating off her in waves and wondered what it'd be like to feel that flushed heat under his fingers…beneath his lips.

Kagome huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "What are you staring at, you pervert!" She really wished she had something to throw at him, but she didn't think that taking off the shrine issued house shoes and lobbing one at him would go over too well.

Inuyasha reeled defensive for all of two seconds before launching his counter attack. "What's the problem with looking!? It's not like it's anything I haven't seen before." This comment found him on the receiving end of a shoe.

One dumb-founded hanyou later, an exasperated Kagome was vehemently trying to not pull out all her hair. "What the hell did you do that for?" yelled an increasingly annoyed Inuyasha.

"That's what you get for being a hentai!" Forgetting her fear in her anger, Kagome tramped toward him. "No one ever gave you permission to stare. It's embarrassing!"

"Who said I needed rights? You're the one who came here. Doesn't that give me all the 'permission' I need?" Inuyasha smirked, feeling he'd gained the upper hand by effectively throwing all responsibility on her. He shouldn't have to be yelled at about being appreciative, now, should he?

What he hadn't counted on, however, was doing his job too well. Kagome thrived on her inherent 'fight or flight' drive, and now that he'd just taken all the fight out of her she only had one option left. Therefore, before she could further impress him with her rave rendition of a gaping trout, she stalked up to him, grabbed her shoe from his hand, turned, and strode for the door. She managed to grunt out "You jerk," before pulling the door open.

Inuyasha winced and turned to face the wall. He didn't want to see her walk out. And why was she leaving? Just because he was a stupid lout who couldn't admit he was excited to see her. Yes, excited. After all, how often did he have gorgeous young women come make love to him without simultaneously trying to rip his balls off? Fine, maybe a slight exaggeration, he conceded, but it sure felt like it sometimes. At the very least bleed him dry.

Still, he'd _hoped_ she'd be here tonight, knowing there was no possibility of it happening, and then it did! And what did he do? He made the brilliant move of opening his mouth! What he wouldn't do to take it back and do it over again, not give her any time to argue, just sweep her up and lay her out on his bed and have his way with her, taking her breath so quickly she wouldn't have any to spare for this senseless squabbling, making her into a boneless heap of sensation that left her brain incapable of registering any embarrassment.

The click of the door made him flatten his ears to his skull and cut off his line of thinking. There was no point in wasting time thinking about things that wouldn't happen…like glorious hours spent in bed, teaching her all the tricks he'd saved up for someone who would let him do as he wished, someone who would actually appreciate the endeavor…Like pondering how he'd love to run his tongue up the taut line of her-fidgeting fingers?

His ears perked at the sound of shuffling coming from behind him. Now he was actually hearing things? _Please don't let this be a trick. I'm already close enough to insanity as it is – no need to go throwing hallucinations into the mix. Please don't let this be a trick._ Keeping his face as calm and unexpectant as possible he turned to face the door. And her.

She was looking everywhere but at him, her fingers turning pretzels around each other. He couldn't do more than dumb-foundedly stare at her. She was really here? After what he'd said? Man, she must be stupid. Or desperate. Or the most selfless person he'd ever meet.

"You're here," he managed to sputter out, once his mouth finally decided to obey his brain.

Kagome looked up at him sheepishly, stubbornly refusing to lose eye contact this time, no matter how embarrassed she was or how bad his mouth was. _At least while he's talking…_She had the grace to blush at her last thought.

"I'm already here, so I suppose I may as well stay. I had so much trouble picking someone the first time – I already told you so many of the guys here feel creepy to me. I don't want to bother tonight trying to pick another when it's already so late. Sleep is a good thing, you know?" She knew she was probably over-explaining herself, giving her words even more of a feel of an excuse but she'd never had a good reign on her tongue.

"Not," she quickly amended, "that I plan on getting much sleep tonight, I guess," Kagome eyed him warily, "but sleep is preferable to going through that enormous book again with photo after photo that doesn't really tell me a thing about a guy."

She groused inwardly as she saw a small smirk steal across the face of the still shirtless hanyou who was currently lounging quite contentedly across his bed. Her groan, however, quickly turned to fuming. Here she was, explaining her presence to a guy who'd all but chased her out of his room with his words. She tried to leave only to be lured back, as she was sure he must think it, by his amazing presence and abilities. Grrr! She could almost tear her hair out at her stupidity by playing to his ego. Not that he even needed it! By her way of thinking, all men had egos entirely too large for their heads. Maybe that's why they had to have two – to make some extra room. Kagome quickly covered a snigger at the thought. Sure, two months ago the thought wouldn't have popped into her head so easily but all the innuendo from her friends had to rub off on her at least a little bit.

Anyhow, two could play at this game. Maybe she could still salvage a scrap of her dignity. "After all, we got along well last night so I figure I can just go look at the book tomorrow and we can play nice tonight. As long as you don't talk so much. Or stare."

She sighed at her seeming love of giving account for herself. "Besides, I've already paid good money for tonight, and since I don't plan on wasting it we may as well go ahead with…it." Kagome gestured sweepingly in the direction of the bed, smiling demurely.

Her smile faltered though when she noticed Inuyasha wasn't playing along with her compromise. She figured she'd make up some silly excuse for still being there, he'd pretend it wasn't as stupid as it surely was, and things would pick up from where they'd left off at the beginning of the night. However, if the icy glare was anything to gauge by, she'd misjudged. Grossly.

"So it's all about the money, eh? Keh, should've known." Inuyasha eyed her contemptuously, raking his eyes over her as if looking at an entirely new person. "That's always how it is. And so what? So you've paid for my 'services.' If you don't want to be here you're not required to be. Unlike me, you can leave whenever the hell you want, so quit bellyaching about it. You already brought up your beloved book, so I'm sure you're familiar enough with it to have a head start on tonight. You might not get a full refund if you're having to switch to someone else so last minute, but what should that matter to someone like you."

Kagome stared at him gape mouthed – in absolute disbelief of what he'd just said. "That's what you think this is about?" Hands clenched at her sides, her fists started to shake. "You think this is about MONEY!?

"You honestly think I'm some spoilt little rich girl who came to ease her boredom by playing around here for a month?" Inuyasha's silence revealed she'd nailed his new picture of her with perfection. "How in the world could you think that?!"

Guessing by the angry red flush burning across Kagome's face, Inuyasha was coming to realize he'd definitely said the wrong thing.

"If I was so fabulously wealthy, then why on earth would I come to a shrine to send my prayers to the goddess of wealth?"

Inuyasha was surprised. She actually took the worship part seriously? That was novel. Not many of the_ lovely_ people he met were here for such noble purposes. But then again, hadn't she said the night before that she herself was from a shrine or something like that?

As if on cue, Kagome launched her tirade.

"My family and I work hard to support ourselves, but even still our shrine is going under. The original plan was for me to come for a week when I turned 21, but we're in a desperate enough state that it had to be pushed up to as soon as possible and also extended as long as possible." It burned her to no end that his insult had been enough to even bypass her pride. She couldn't believe she was actually telling him all about her family's financial troubles! Still, she would show him how wrongly he'd judged. He deserved it, her family deserved it, she deserved it.

"We all scrimped and saved to get me the money to be here – and I will not waste my family's efforts just because I'm uncomfortable. And the fact you could really think that I'm playing around here…!"

She clenched her teeth together as she stifled a scream. "So what we talked about last night, and even tonight, doesn't mean anything? Do you honestly think," she uncharacteristically sneered at the thought, "that I would actually choose to lose my virginity to a complete stranger? I would much have preferred it to be with someone I love and who loved me back, but the longer I live the more I'm learning that romanticized notions don't have much power in the 'real' world: there's too much working against them. Things like supporting my family are more important – no matter how scant the hope might be of these prayers being heard.

"I may be crazy for even telling you this," she continued, "but I am honestly the only person I know who wouldn't jump at the chance to come here. Maybe that's what you're used to – but so what? That is not who I am and right now I don't really care how weird you think I am for being like this.

"And after you knew how uncomfortable I was last night and even tonight – you still think that?" She screamed at him, "You pompous jerk!"

Kagome had been moving continually closer to him while venting her anger but was still an arms length away from him. She was disappointed she wasn't close enough to slap him but didn't care to get any closer to the idiot at the moment.

Inuyasha eyed her flexing right hand and was suddenly glad for that same distance between them. He didn't particularly want to get hit tonight if he could help it.

Kagome stilled and straightened. "I think, however, in this situation my family would be accepting of the loss, since I'm not only uncomfortable but also insulted. I'll take your advice and go look for a replacement now."

Inuyasha glared at her. If she wanted to talk insult then he'd had plenty also, but he'd had to bear it without complaining. Sure, maybe he'd stepped over the line – maybe, mind you – but at least she could still leave when the situation became too much for her. She wasn't getting any sympathy from him.

"I'd like to say I'm sorry for wasting your time, but really I'm not; I wish more that you hadn't wasted mine. But I'm sorry I came here tonight. I should have left well enough alone and stayed away after last night so that I could at least remember my first time as being with someone who, even though he appeared tough and rude, was surprisingly kind to me and careful once he knew why I was so nervous."

Her expression turned sad and wistful. "I don't know if you made up the stories you told me last night for my benefit or not, but thank you for last night." Her face turned hard again, hurt and anger shining in her eyes.

"But don't ever insult me or my family and their sacrifice again you jerk. Goodbye," she said, turning on her heel, "and I hope to never see you again."

As she stormed toward the door Inuyasha tried to calm the whirlwind swirling in his head. So what if she took offense to what he said? It's not like it wasn't a valid question, what with the lot of people he normally dealt with. Just because she didn't happen to fall in that same category didn't mean he should have known all of that up front. Besides, life was offensive and everyone just had to learn how to deal with it. There was nothing to help shield any of the blows, unfortunately, even if Kagome – that girl, he corrected – was still naïve enough to think people should still assume the best about each other instead of the worst.

One thing he did know though, she wouldn't actually walk out of this room. If she couldn't leave the first time, then why would she now? Any second now she'd pause and turn, looking up at him sheepishly with those large brown eyes…

Then he'd capitulate. He'd be disgusted that she'd clanged the symbol of hurt pride and then turned against it in order to save money or get a good lay, or whatever reason she used to justify her stay, but he'd keep that on the inside. You couldn't be in this profession long without learning to cover what you really thought of a patron. The ones he normally dealt with were below scum in his opinion, but he was careful to never show it. Can't go upsetting the sadistic client now can we?, he spat.

Apparently even 'nice' girls were the same. Give them power over someone and they'll lord it over him. He had as of yet to meet a single female in his life – aside from his mother – who knew the meaning of the word honor. To actually have and display honor was something he considered next to impossible for a female of any race and he was sure this one was about to prove him right. Again.

The doorknob clicked, and when he heard Kagome muttering something under her breath about annoying, white-haired jerks, he knew she was actually going to walk out and leave the room. Leave him. He moved before he could even think about it.

Kagome startled when Inuyasha's right hand slammed on the door in front of her face, pushing it closed with a 'click'. Her gasp, however, was due much more to the arm that snaked around her waist, pulling her back against a hot, hard body, and the lips that simultaneously latched onto the sensitive skin of her neck.

"Who said I wanted you to leave?" he murmured, moving up to kiss behind her left ear.

Kagome remained stiff in his arms, not quite sure what was going on. "I thought you did."

"Well you thought wrong," he informed her. Just for good measure he added, "Keh, stupid woman."

He moved down her neck to her shoulder, wet, open-mouthed kisses leaving Kagome trembling as she was still caught between confusion, anger, and desire, though his lips were quickly erasing the first two. With one hand on the door and the other wrapped around her stomach Inuyasha hadn't been able to pull her hair out of his way, and as such errant strands of hair were caught in his kisses, beneath his tongue, rasping against her newly sensitized skin. Making his way to her shoulder and pressing as far as the material of her shirt would allow, Inuyasha wanted to rectify the hair situation; but something else had to be addressed first.

"I don't want you to go," he breathed against her wet skin, sending shivers down her back. "Stay," he said, the slightest lilt to the word indicating it was more a request than a command.

The kisses he'd been raining on her had more than changed her mind already about leaving. Even if her mind had been in the same state her body sure wasn't; she was not quite sure her legs would even support her enough to walk out of the room if he wasn't holding her up against him. "Yes," she sighed out, smiling delightedly when she saw his hand snib the lock on the door then move to her right shoulder.

He didn't spin her around to face him as she'd expected but he stayed plastered against her back and turned them both together away from the door. "Now, we'll finally get to the place I tried to get you at the very beginning of the night before you got all squeamish on me."

She was tempted to bring up his own flaws in the past few minutes but decided she would be _oh so magnanimous_ and overlook it – this once. Then she blinked as something occurred to her.

"Why do you have a bed instead of a futon?" she asked as he directed her onto the raised surface and then climbed on and knelt down next to her.

"Some here have beds, some futons. It depends on what suits their tastes and purposes."

"And a bed better suits your tastes and purposes?" Kagome tilted her head to a curious angle.

"Keh, not my tastes, but it does suit the purpose better." He almost spat at the word.

"What purpose would that be?"

Inuyasha nodded toward the manacles at the head of the bed. They blended in pretty well to the bed and the wall, but she still couldn't believe she hadn't noticed them last night, or even this night while they'd been arguing. Granted, she'd probably been more concerned with her own anxiety and nervousness, but still… Glancing around she noticed a pair at the foot of the bed too.

Eyes open wide Kagome was almost afraid of the answer before she asked the question. "What are those for?"

He frowned at the question. "You dense? What else would these be for? I told you last night I'm the whipping boy. These are here for those who get their shits and giggles from using dominating and dominatrix in a whole new sense of the word and get off from seeing pain and blood. They can't bring their own cuffs because the wimpy ones made most places wouldn't be enough to hold me. These had to be special made to withstand the strength of a hanyou without breaking or damaging the structural integrity of the wall and building."

She stared at him, mouth agape. "You mean people actually use these?" He nodded. "On You?!" she shrieked incredulously. He nodded again. "Why you?! I mean, there has to be some guy out there who actually gets off on that stuff too, right? You obviously hate it, so why does it have to be you?!"

He was amazed to see sparkles in her eyes of what could be the beginning of tears, especially considering how at odds they'd been with each other only minutes before. "There are some guys who like it, but these women take it to the extreme. The things they do would seriously maim or even kill a human male so they've gotta choose someone who can take more and heal better, right? There ain't many demons who stick around here for long, and when they do it's either for just a bit of fun or because they're looking for a possible mate. They're almost never stuck here for the same reasons some humans are, what with being hard up for money, since a demon can get pretty much any manual labor position he could want, not to mention many other jobs.

"And then here I am, a filthy half-breed with no rights. What more could they ask for, eh?"

During his angry tirade Inuyasha had been glaring at the door, as if his stare could pierce any amount of unseen people who'd had a hand in his ending up at the Shrine or his maltreatment while there. As he glanced up at Kagome he immediately regretted the running of his mouth as he saw a single tear sliding down her cheek.

His anger immediately turned to resentment and embarrassment coupled with something else he didn't quite understand and he lashed out. "Stop that!" he yelled, not sure how to handle her reaction. "Don't you dare pity me! I'm making a life for myself and I'm surviving, which is much more than I can say for most other hanyou out there. I'm strong enough to deal with this or any other shit life throws my way so you can just stop your crying!"

Kagome ignored his outburst and leaned forward to wrap her arms around him. He immediately stiffened at the touch that conveyed an entirely different kind of intimacy, but his squirming stilled when she pressed her lips to his forehead in a gentle kiss. She pulled back to look at him, saying "You have to be one of the strongest people I've ever met." She kissed his temple, then his eye, then his nose, safely skipping over his mouth to kiss his chin. Nudging his head up with hers, she kissed the soft skin right underneath his chin and continued down his neck.

It didn't take Inuyasha long to get back into the swing of things, and by the time she'd gotten down to the hollow at the base of his throat he had grabbed her by the upper arms and pulled her more upright. She cocked a brow at the mischievous twinkle she saw in his eye, but also astutely noting the need to turn the mood she decided to play along.

He buried his face against her skin and she felt him smirk against her shoulder. "So how much do you care about this shirt?"

"Not much," she replied honestly. Her mom had warned her before she came to not bother wearing any clothing she had any great deal of attachment to. She still wasn't sure why, but she was sure she was about to find out.

"Good," he growled, just as he slipped his right hand under the collar of her shirt and used his claws to shred the material. Sometimes he loved being part youkai – it made certain things so much quicker.

Kagome woke in the morning, smiling at the feeling of a heavy, warm arm wrapped around her stomach. _This is something I could definitely get used t-_

Sitting up suddenly she abruptly cut off that thought, knowing it was the last thing she should be thinking, especially with a prostitute. _It was just the warmth, yeah, that's it._ _And the comfort of having someone in bed. That was all. It just felt good to have a man, any man – well hanyou – there._

She glanced down at her companion, glad to see he'd slept through her recriminating thoughts. _I swear, the guy acts like he can read my face or something! Well, at least when he's not _determined _to misunderstand me. _Huffily she threw the arm off her and lifted her own over her head to stretch, only to wince half-way up at the soreness of her left shoulder. Remembering what had caused at least some of that tenderness, notably a certain special attention from said hanyou's lips and teeth, she flushed slightly. _I wonder how bad it looks. _

That's the problem with things on your back – or in this case, shoulder. You can actually see how bad it looks, at least not while looking ridiculous while trying.

That didn't stop Kagome though. She sat up as straight as she could, pulled her hair over her right shoulder, then put her right hand on her left shoulder to pull it as far forward as she could. Craning her neck while simultaneously trying to not lose her balance and tip over proved to be a harder feat than she'd imagined, but she was just beginning to see a few splotches of purple and red when she felt Inuyasha kiss her hand.

"Yaaaaaaahhah!" she screamed, turning around quickly enough to entangle her in the sheets and make it a bid harder to squirm. One hand over her heart she willed the beating to slow to a normal pace, one less likely to send her into cardiac arrest.

"Why is it you seem to keep forgetting I'm here?" Inuyasha's ploy to play wounded didn't work very well when Kagome felt she was the one closer to ending up in a hospital bed.

"I- I didn't forget," she said, catching her breath. "I just thought you were still asleep."

"You sound disappointed," he pointed out to her, slightly relieved when her gaze snapped back up from the bed clothes to his eyes, showing her shock at his question. He worried that he should have feigned sleep, allowing her to slip out the door like yesterday - no real goodbyes, no seeing the other person as anything more than a sex object. Since it was her last night with him it only made sense.

"No, not at all!" She waved her hand in front of her, the one not still clutching at her heart. "Well, I mean, not really…" she trailed off, knowing herself how pathetic that sounded. "Fine! I didn't want you to see me trying to look at my back. I'm sure I looked utterly ridiculous and I can do quite well without adding more embarrassing moments to my life."

She crossed her arms in front of her chest with a "hmph" and turned up her nose at him.

Inuyasha wanted nothing more than to kiss her nose then wipe her pout away with his own lips. Shaking his head slightly to dislocate the disturbing thought he got a better idea, one that was more sure to leave a lingering 'goodbye' for her to remember him by.

Moving forward he took hold of her wrists, slowly uncrossing her arms until she was bare to him again. To her surprise, instead of ogling her chest, as he was so wont to do, his gaze honed in on the front of her shoulder - her already bruised left shoulder.

Sometime during the night he had come up with what he thought was a rather inventive plan. He had no idea who she'd be seeing next but if he left her covered in very vivid demonstration, as he'd started last night, of just how good her last Tetsudai had been to her then the pride of the next would force him to try to one-up and Kagome would be ensured at least a decent effort and good time.

"Since you can't see what I did to the back of your shoulder, I'll just have to do the same thing to a place you can see. That's only fair, right?"

Kagome opened her mouth to answer, but only a squeak came out as he was already latching on to the skin there. She lay back, completely slack in his embrace as he ministered to skin. Only when he nipped her a bit too hard, quickly remedying the pain by applying the cooling pleasure of his tongue, did her eyes snap open and she noticed the clock on his wall.

"Inu-" She gasped for breath, wanting nothing so much as to lose herself in his touch. "Inuyasha," she tried again, pushing feebly against him. She heard his whine, but he slowly acquiesced and pulled himself away from her.

The hurt in his eyes didn't go unnoticed, despite his attempt to hide it, though it confused her. _Does he think I hate him now or something just for giving me more hickeys?_ He really was a living puzzle in so many ways to her.

Placing one hand on his jaw line she leaned up and gently kissed his cheek. "We don't have any more time," she said, emphasizing her point by flicking her eyes toward the clock, and he had to concede when he saw that, yes, time was up.

She got out of the bed and stretched fully, feeling Inuyasha's eyes on her the entire time, searing her skin. Rummaging around she found her clothes, holding her tattered shirt by one corner and eyeing it disdainfully. "We can pick up where we left off tonight, right?"

"We- we can?" The sharp intake of breath and shocked voice surprised her. Lifting her eyes from the scrap of cloth in her hand she was even more surprised to see his rigid stance and hands fisting into the sheets.

_Dang it, did I say something wrong? Am I breaking some unwritten rule? Heck, even written rule for all I know! Gah! _

Her gaze turned shy as she turned around and started dressing. "Yes. I mean, that is, unless you don't want to. Or if I'm being too pushy. Or am I breaking some rule? Oh shoot, I knew it-"

"No!"

She turned to him confused. _Did that mean 'no' he doesn't want to or 'no' I'm not breaking a rule?_

"No, I mean you should – you should come back tonight."

If Kagome didn't know any better she'd have sworn that was a blush she saw creeping up his cheeks. Then she rubbed her eyes and he was off the bed, rummaging through his closet, and she was sure she'd only been seeing things in the dim lighting. She continued to watch, mystified, as Inuyasha threw shirt after shirt out of the small space onto the floor.

"Here," he held one out to her. "This should work."

She took it from him, grateful to notice it was just about her size. "Why do you have this?"

He shrugged. "Shrine gives 'em to all the workers. Not like this is the first time someone's clothing has gotten ripped up here." He waggled his eyebrows at her and she blushed. _Dang it, I'm going to have to work on that._

What he didn't say was that he had purposely found one as close to her size as possible, not to mention he steered clear away from the ones that had the Bacana name emblazoned across the front. Those shirts had become something of a keepsake or collector's item, bragging rights for those who had been to the Shrine and had an extra good time. He knew she'd want to draw as little attention as she could from the ordeal.

Glancing back over he cursed himself when he saw she'd already put the shirt on. Turning, she bowed slightly to him, then with a smile grabbed up her purse and opened the door.

"See you tonight Inuyasha!" She waved cheerily with one hand, far too chipper for someone who had to be awake this early.

"Yeah, see ya," he mumbled, barely flicking his hand in response. As soon as the door clicked shut he was lost in thought, completely forgetting about the alarm clock that chose that exact moment to go off. (Although it didn't exactly choose since Inuyasha was the one who set it.)

He jumped at the sound, yelling and threatening the device until he was finally able to turn it off. Swinging back toward the door he glared at it. _Damn, what have I gotten myself into?'_

**A/N: **Slowly but surely they are coming to know one another.

FF Version original posting: July 7, 2007

Edited: July 8, 2007


	4. Intrusion

**A/N:** This chapter contains graphic scenes of the aftereffects of torture/sexual torture. If you are uncomfortable with this skip until 3/4 through the chapter. Please be forewarned.

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Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler

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**Chapter 4: Intrusion  
-**entrance by force or without permission or welcome

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After the first few days, Kagome's time in the Shrine smoothed her nerves and anxiety. She was still a bit timid and easy to embarrass but she now had a level of comfort with Inuyasha she hadn't thought would be possible with a mere prostitute. Of course, the fact that he'd finally introduced her to some of the more _particular _pleasures of his profession the night before, her fifth night, had a bit to do with that. Most certainly it had upped her enthusiasm as she found the evening wouldn't come fast enough and she couldn't wait to try her favorites again.

With a spring in her step Kagome made her way to the front desk, simultaneously blinding Ryu with her infectious smile.

"Good morning, Ryu-san," she joked. The fact that everyone in the Shrine had a nocturnal lifestyle confused the greetings a bit and Kagome enjoyed making as much as a mess of it as she could.

"What time can you fit me in tonight?"

Ryu sighed dramatically and flipped open his schedule book to Inuyasha's page; he didn't bother to ask whom she wanted an appointment with. Tracing his finger down the page he grunted deep in his throat as he noted the name already on the sheet.

"Looks like he has one other appointment tonight -" Ryu chanced a glance up and had to hide a grin at the scowl on Kagome's face. "- but I can schedule you for 3am. How's that work for you?"

She nodded absent-mindedly. "That's fine. Ne, Ryu," she said, looking up, "do you have any suggestions on what I can do until then? I don't really know what's around here…"

"You can always sleep," he said nonchalantly, studiously scanning his schedule while a grin tugged on the corner of this mouth. "I'm sure you could use it, what with all the strenuous activity you're involved with here."

"Ryu-san!" Kagome gasped, turning a nice shade of pink, almost as shocked at his making a joke as the subject matter itself. She'd gotten better about blushing in front of Inuyasha, but this was Ryu! Not only was he middle aged, but also he wasn't the one participating in said 'strenuous activity' with her. Besides, she liked to forget about the fact that anyone aside from Inuyasha knew what she did while she was here. She still found the entire situation to be quite surreal and out of her realm.

He chuckled lightly and Kagome wondered at the fact that she'd never heard the sound before. He was always too serious.

"If that's not to your liking then there's a movie theatre down the road, in addition to a live theatre. I'm not sure which drama they're performing currently, but the troupe is relatively decent. If not that, then there's a mall two streets down and plenty of nice places to eat in between."

When Kagome opened her mouth he held up a hand to forestall her. "And yes, they're all open. This section of town grew up around the Shrine and caters to the Shrine's clientele, so you'll find it's actually harder to find a place open during the daylight hours. You shouldn't have any trouble filling the time until your appointment."

Kagome glanced at her watch and shouldered her bag. "Then I suppose I'll see you in five and half hours. For now I'm off to adventure!" Lifting her arm in the air over her head, fingers in the sign of victory, Kagome winked at Ryu then turned and sauntered out the door.

On her way she missed Ryu's somber whisper, "I think you'll have more than your share of adventure tonight."

* * *

At 3 a.m. exactly, she did enjoy being prompt, Kagome arrived in front of Inuyasha's door. Buzzing once to make sure he wasn't naked, which on second thought she supposed wouldn't really matter, she entered his room - and promptly stopped cold.

Inuyasha was naked all right. And covered in blood, a gaudy red color that clashed harshly against his skin and stained the sheets beneath him.

Inuyasha heard the door open and only barely suppressed a growl, knowing it would aggravate the cuts across his chest.

"What the hell do you want?" he spat, eyes still closed. "How many times do I have to tell you jerks that I don't want to be bothered after sessions!"

Only too late did he register the suspicious lack of words from his intruder…too late did he recognize the scent, and it wasn't any of the males he'd expect from the shrine. _Kagome!_ he realized as his eyes shot open.

He turned his head as best he could from his prone position on the bed to see her standing there, stiff as the door behind her. Speaking of doors…

"Kagome, shut that thing will ya? I don't want anyone else seeing this shit."

She turned robotically to do as he asked then turned back to him, still not saying a word, just staring.

Inuyasha was beyond uneasy. "Don't worry about it, ne?" he said, struggling to sit up. "I'll just clean myself up real quick and then we can get to it. Don't want to waste -"

"Stop!" Inuyasha stilled immediately. Kagome hadn't actually raised her voice but the tone in it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Paying closer attention he could tell she was on edge and that her barely leashed emotions were slathering to break free.

"Lie back down – _now_ – and don't move." Before he could form any sort of reply she was out of the room, slamming the door behind her. He flopped back on the bed, welcoming the pain as the gashes in his back protested, breaking back open where they'd torn from the sheets.

_Of course she left, she must be utterly disgusted_, he berated himself. _Why the hell did you offer to clean up and then still service her? There's no way she would accept to ever be touched again by anyone as weak and pathetic as you._

Resigning himself to the cruel truth of his reality Inuyasha closed his eyes and willed himself to not think about a certain raven-haired girl.

* * *

Kagome marched her way to the front desk, not sparing a glance or acknowledgement for anyone she passed or bumped on the way. Glad she found the front foyer empty, though she barely could have cared under the current circumstances, she continued until she was inches away from Ryu's seated face.

"Bandages, towels, and water – now!" she demanded, hardly caring that she had no right to request these items in the Shrine.

Ryu didn't say a word, just opened a large drawer in his desk and pulled out all she'd asked for and more, as if he'd been prepared for such a circumstance, knew it was going to happen. Kagome didn't allow herself to think on that as Ryu helped her balance all the requested items, a pitcher, bowl, and more enough gauze for an army, and instead only spared him a parting glare for his role in things before storming off in the direction she had come from.

She quickly paused, just long enough to make sure she had his attention, before shouting over her shoulder, "You're meeting me for breakfast tomorrow morning. 9:30 a.m. sharp at Shogun's. No excuses!" Then she was gone.

* * *

Kagome was seething. She made her way down the empty hallway focusing on her anger as much as she could. She was so torn, felt sadness trying to creep up the edges of her consciousness, but knew she didn't have the privilege of breaking apart right now; anger would serve her better in the long run. Falling into a sobbing, weeping heap wouldn't do anything to heal Inuyasha's wounds, and it would probably only end up making him feel worse for causing her tears.

No, she'd hold her sorrow until she was alone and let the seething mass inside her fuel her energy. She knew she'd need it with the little she'd seen so far.

Juggling her load she threw the door open, stepped in the room, then kicked it shut with her foot.

Inuyasha started from both the sound and the surprise of finding Kagome in his room once again, barely recalling himself quickly enough to cover the wince from ripping open a few scabs again.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, incredulity lacing his voice.

"What does it look like?" she replied, dumping her armload of bandages and towels onto the low table by his bed, pouring a small amount of water from the pitcher into the bowl. "I'm fixing you up." She pegged him with a glare daring him to question her.

He, however, wasn't about to sit by and let himself be coddled like some weak old ningen man. "I've told you about this before. Just because you see it tonight doesn't make it any different. This isn't the first time this has happened and it won't be the last, and I've managed just fine on my own until now. I'm a hanyou, remember? I'm stronger than most and just because it looks bad doesn't mean it's really all that."

He stared at her, hoping against hope that she would just leave, sparing him the humiliation of being in such a state in front of her.

Kagome, hands on hips, stared back, wondering how he could honestly expect her – or any being with a lick of decency or compassion for that matter – to leave him in the condition he was in. Leaning over the bed she raised one hand and poked at the large gash over his ribs, smirking in morbid justification when he couldn't help but flinch.

"See? You _are_ in pain. Granted, you're taking this better than any human would – heck, they'd be screaming on the floor by now – but you're still not getting out of it. I'm cleaning you up so you better just get used to the idea!"

"No you're not!" he yelled back at her. "I don't need to be taken care of by some silly ningen girl who likes to play nurse!"

Kagome crossed her arms, stewing, strategizing on how she could convince him to submit. She glanced at the clock, a brilliant idea hitting her, and she grinned.

"Inuyasha," she began, her syrupy sweet voice instantly making him suspicious, "I paid for an hour of your time, right?"

He agreed grudgingly, already seeing where she was going with this.

"That means I can do whatever I want to you for the next hour, right?" She took his silence as affirmation. Dropping the coy note from her voice and getting down to business, she continued, "Since that bitch can make you bloody during her appointment it only seems fair that I can use mine to clean you up, ne?"

Inuyasha was so shocked at her cursing that he didn't even notice he was nodding his head until he saw the triumph gleam across her eyes. Her face didn't show it though, not even a glimmer, remaining grim as she dropped a towel into the bowl then wrung it out.

She held his eyes and said, "Sorry if I hurt you," before she turned back to the task at hand and began wiping at the gash she'd poked earlier.

The job was grisly and tedious, especially since it was hard to find some of the wounds themselves under the layers of dried blood. Kagome just wanted it to be done but she didn't dare rush for fear of exacerbating his wounds. Not only that but she had the compounded problem of his laying naked in a bed under her. Given the nature of their relationship up to this point she was being as calculated and professional as she could with her clean up, not allowing her touches to linger on his skin trying to transfer the warmth of a caring person. She couldn't permit herself to lean over and kiss the multitude of semi-healed lacerations covering his chest for fear that she might accidentally arouse him. Anything either did to grant him release would only harm him further and she'd heard of the discomfort associated with blue-balls and the last thing she could stand to do would be to cause him any further pain, no matter how minute. Besides, she'd also heard him mention how some of his other clients used that particular method as a part of their torture...

She had to shake her head to dispel the thoughts. Such a line of thinking was only going to agitate her and she needed to keep her hands calm so as not to agitate his wounds, so she mentally shielded herself and dipped the towel back in the bowl.

Inuyasha never took his eyes off her face, seeing small flickers of thoughts and emotions behind her eyes, but none lasting long enough for him to guess at what they was. She was methodical to the last, working her way down from his shoulders to his abdomen.

When she neared his groin he grimaced, preparing himself for the disdain that would show in her features as she bypassed the area. Whips and razors had lacerated all the skin surrounding his groin, from his abdomen to his thighs, but the sensitive itself was thankfully clean of bloody cuts - he knew from experience those were hell to heal. Instead it was sticky with a combination of bodily fluids and blood spatters from the nearby wounds.

A quick flicker of new emotion softened the fire in Kagome's eyes right before she reached for him, Inuyasha's eyes widening as she cradled the limp form in one hand while gently wiping it with the towel.

Kagome had to block the thoughts that were clamoring at her mind otherwise she knew she would flinch or be sick or fall down crying. She had to focus on anything other than the feeling of stickiness that encased her hand, not wanting to touch anything that had come from that horrid woman, but much more adamant that Inuyasha no longer have to wear it either.

Taking care to use smooth even strokes, Kagome lifted his length in her hand in order to clean underneath and reach the junction of his thighs when she noticed the horrid, grotesque carving. Zig-zagging across the bottom of his length were a myriad of razor thin cuts, just shallow enough to not bleed much, leaving a mere layer of skin intact while going through the top five. The cuts seemed sporadic to her at first until she noticed that they crawled back and forth across as much of him as they could, only avoiding spots where a large vein was prominent. As carefully as she could manage she worked at removing all sticky and crusted substances from around and inside the damaged areas, not wanting to even imagine him healing with that stuff still inside him. That couldn't be healthy, physically or mentally.

Now she was more thankful than ever that she had put the extra effort into not arousing him. She was sure, from the little that she now knew about male anatomy, that if he had been, the swelling would have been enough to break through the cuts and have started to bleed everywhere.

She used her forearm to angrily wipe away at the lone tear that escaped her eyes. _This is no time to be emotional, dang it! He needs someone to clean him up, not some weak, simpering girl who won't know what to do with herself._

Pep talk completed, she choked down the emotion piling up in her throat, easily shoving it back down when she remembered what she needed to do, and finally chanced a glance at Inuyasha's face but immediately looked back down when she saw him watching her intently. She couldn't deal with him just yet and could only hope he'd missed her small theatrics.

For his part Inuyasha was incredulous. He hadn't seen any tears, but he smelled the telltale signs of salt. Could she actually be crying because of him? Should he have shoved her out the door as soon as she stepped foot inside, or was the damage already done as soon as she saw him?

Kagome continued in the same manner until she reached the tops of his feet,. Finished as well as she could with his front she braced herself to look up at him. "Your back?" She asked simply.

Inuyasha kept quiet, suddenly finding the ceiling a much better place to rest his eyes.

"Inuyasha…" warned Kagome, using a tone that showed she was losing patience and would have her way.

Keeping his eyes on the wood above him Inuyasha breathed a weary, "Yeah. But the blood has dried. I'm stuck to the sheet, so you'll just have to be done for now."

If he thought he could be done with her so easily, he was sorely mistaken.

Kagome stood and went to the foot of the bed, releasing both corners of the sheet before crawling up between Inuyasha and the wall in order to get to the back corner. Smirking down at him she let the sheet go with an elastic 'snap.' "You think that's going to stop me?" she asked.

She crawled back down the bed, careful to not touch him, then walked back up in order to loose the final corner of the sheet from the bed. "Now sit up," she commanded him, not even his world-weary sigh lightening her mood.

Now that he had a clear view of Kagome Inuyasha fully grimaced. Her pants were stained and he damned himself for tainting someone like her.

"Kagome, I'm alright now, really, you've done enough -" She put a finger to his lips to still the words.

"I'm done when you're all cleaned and bandaged and not a moment before, so stop fighting me on this." Kagome didn't bother to watch for his reaction, just crawled on the bed behind him and began the arduous task of wetting the bloodied fabric enough for it to loosen and fall from his body. By then her one hour appointment time had passed, but neither dared to bring that up.

She had to make him stand for the last part, crouching on the floor behind him as she freed his legs from the sheet, hating that until she was done the full weight of the sheet hung from the top-most wound. She wished she'd had the foresight to start at the bottom and work her way up but then realized some of the wounds might re-dry to the dangling sheet and it was pointless. Finally she finished and wiped her arm across her forehead, grimacing as she looked at the bowl full of bloodied water.

Standing with the sheet she made her way toward his closet. "Where's the laundry and where are your fresh sheets?"

He took a step forward but Kagome pegged him with a hard glare. "I didn't say 'come here and show me,' I asked where it is."

Growling at the chit's audacity to speak to him like that, he nonetheless gave her the directions and before he knew it she was placing new sheets on his bed. She fit the last corner onto the mattress and turned to look at him, still naked and bleeding, standing in the middle of his room.

"I'm getting the bandages. I don't want you sticking to the sheets again." Sliding off the bed she grabbed the first pack from the side-table and crouched down behind him. She supposed it would be more polite to wrap his legs from the front but she wasn't sure she could bare the sight of his maimed private parts anymore. If she had to look at it any more she was sure she'd either break down or run down Ryu to find the vile woman's name so that she could go on a homicidal rampage.

Once done with his legs and low back/abdomen, she let him sit back on the bed while she worked on his chest and shoulders. The two remained in tense silence the entire time: Kagome too caught up in her own thoughts to notice Inuyasha's discomfiture, and Inuyasha too preoccupied with what Kagome could be thinking to notice much of anything else.

By the time she was done with all the cleaning and bandaging it was nearing on 5:30 am but she was far from tired. The emotional turmoil inside her would keep her awake for hours still, she knew, but she wanted to make sure Inuyasha got some sleep.

She scooted out from behind him then lightly pushed on his chest until he was lying against one of the newly cleaned pillows. He looked at her questioningly for a moment, then merely shrugged and closed his eyes as he leaned further into the pillow.

Kagome sat beside him, transfixed by his face. How could anyone ever want to harm such a beautiful creature? She was beyond astonished. She simply couldn't imagine who could have such a mindset and how they could justify it. She was sick with herself, for knowing what he'd said about his other clients but never really paying attention. She'd thought he was exaggerating, playing it up to make a good tale, but now she saw the evidence herself and she guessed this wasn't even that bad on the scale of what he dealt with.

She leaned over him and brushed his bangs away from his face with her left hand, bending over to plant a light kiss on his forehead. Inuyasha's eyes instantly shot open and he stared at her, the look in his eyes making Kagome swear she could see the lost child inside that he maybe once had been.

"Why?" he asked, pleaded. _Why did you stay? Why did you bother to clean me? Why did you bandage me when you knew I would heal so quickly on my own anyhow? Why did you spend the time to do all you did? Why are you so on edge? Why does this affect you? _he thought, but the words wouldn't make it past his throat.

The single syllable shot through her. She was sure that it was much more than that to him, but only one answer came to her mind that would suffice.

She jumped off the bed and switched off the light before coming back to lie on her side facing him. Her fingers fidgeted with the bandage on his left shoulder, making sure it would stay in place, then slid her hands down his arm to grab his hand, interlocking their fingers and holding it tightly.

"Because you deserve better," she whispered into the dark.

They both slept.

* * *

Kagome waited impatiently in a back booth at Shogun's. She'd picked the place because it was where she'd had dinner the night before when Ryu had so kindly suggested what she could do with her free time, and therefore was the only place she knew of so far. It also just so happened to meet her specifications in what she'd want in a meeting place where she'd be discussing a less-than-savory topic.

The place was a bit of a hole in the wall, obviously dirty around the edges and catering to a slightly rougher clientele than the ritzy place across the street, but its cheap prices meant there was enough patronage to keep the cooks and cashiers busy, away from the corner she was sitting in.

If Kagome didn't know better, she'd almost say this booth was set up specifically for this purpose as it was set apart from the others slightly, dim enough to give the feeling of seclusion, but bright enough to maintain a feeling of security.

Of course none of this really mattered at the moment, what with the bright morning sun streaming in through the windows and open front doors. Kagome sighed. She really was exhausted and sick of waiting for Ryu – even though she'd only been there five minutes – since the only other people around were the drunks who were grabbing a quick bite before lumbering off in what they hoped was the direction toward their beds. At least that meant they'd be less likely to listen in, she supposed. If the man she was waiting for finally deigned her with his presence she was sure that, despite her best efforts, there would be an explosion or two.

She'd awoken that morning clinging to Inuyasha's arm, pressing his hand firmly into her chest while clasping it tightly with both of hers. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes she quickly took stock of his wounds and bandages without yet moving, not wanting to wake him. She was satisfied to see no fresh blood, then 'eep'ed when the arm against her was no longer sedient, but moved up to her face, grasping lightly at her jaw and turning her to look at a very awake Inuyasha - a very awake Inuyasha who appeared to have been so for a long period of time.

For a split second she saw the confusion he tried to hide, but then he quickly covered it, quirking his lips. "I was wonderin' if you were ever gonna wake up, sleepy head."

Kagome opened her mouth, tried to form a reply, failed and stopped. _He's been watching me? For how long?_ Torn between finding that endearing or creepy she settled on the perfect compromise of feeling miserably embarrassed, but for what she had no clue.

Mutely she sat up and quickly pulled back the wrappings on his shoulder. She gasped when she saw the progress the laceration had made overnight: it was nearly healed! The mark was still there, but it was far past bleeding and looked to be two weeks old from what she'd seen of human healing for this kind of wound.

She suddenly had a frighteningly clear mental picture of packaging up his blood and selling it like the next Neosporin. She pictured herself as a carnival caller in a striped coat, white trousers, a straw hat and a cane yelling _Come and get it! Step up right here, my girl, and witness the amazing miracle potion that will heal your wounds in no time! Hanyou blood it is, ladies and gentlemen, fresh squeezed from the source, and guaranteed to heal what ails you!_ She shook her head to dislodge the disturbing image.

"Ho- How?" She managed to sputter out in her amazement.

"Keh," Inuyasha scoffed. "I told you, wench, I'm a hanyou. I didn't need all that coddling last night."

Kagome glared at him and he took a pointed interest in something on the ceiling.

"I heal just fine, given time. That's why I'm able to do this job and live, 'cuz I've got amazing super hanyou healing abilities." He grinned.

When she didn't smile at his attempt to joke, his own faltered. "Whatever. Just don't go blabbing about what you've seen here. I get enough crap around here as it is, I don't need to go adding to that by letting anyone find out how much I was done in by a simple ningen female, nor how I was so pathetic looking afterward another ningen wench decided I needed charity – which I obviously didn't." He started pulling off his bindings to prove the point, showing how much his body truly had healed. Granted, he wasn't in perfect shape yet, but she could almost guess he would be by that night.

Kagome grit her teeth even now remembering his arrogance from that morning. So fine, he healed better than most, but that didn't mean he still couldn't get an infection or should be left to wallow in the filth he'd been covered in. Stupid jerk.

She'd somehow controlled herself to leave without saying another word except for a reminder that she'd see him that night, somehow managing to avoid instigating any further arguing. She needed to save her energy for Ryu.

And speak of the devil, the man himself had just finally walked through the door.

Kagome glanced at her watch. _Darn_, she thought. 9:07 am. _Guess I can't harpoon him for keeping me waiting or trying to avoid me._ In fact, now that she gave him more than a cursory glance, he almost appeared calm. Not quite collected, but certainly resigned to speaking with her and not showing himself to be the least bit nervous about it.

_We'll see how long that lasts._

He seated himself, having forgone ordering food at the front register so that they could get right down to business.

"How could you allow that woman to go to him?" she ground out, hands fisting on the table top.

Ryu was beyond surprised, he was stunned! Kagome, the one he had pegged as the naïve little innocent who didn't know how to do anything other than smile was almost physically shaking with suppressed fury; her anger was righteous, he knew, but strange to see it in her all the same.

Even more, he'd had his answer all prepared for her question – in fact he'd been thinking about it since she came demanding bandages earlier that morning. Problem was, it was the answer to the wrong question. He thought she'd ask about why he'd involved her in the situation at all, not why Inuyasha was being subjected to what he was. Ah well, no one ever said women were predictable.

_That's good though_, he thought. He'd been worried she'd fall into a fit of hysterics and barely be able to get the job done, but it seemed she was stronger than he'd guessed. _She doesn't really appear it but maybe she's got some steel inside her, this one. Looks like I made a good choice with her._

"What?" Kagome glared at him suspiciously. "Why are you stalling? You can't honestly say you were surprised by my question, can you?"

Ryu exhaled slowly. "Actually, Kagome, I was. I knew we were going to be discussing this but I had imagined you'd ask first about why I gave you that appointment last night."

She sat up straighter and blinked at him, all the rage temporarily gone from her face. "I thought that was quite obvious," she told him.

"I saw that you recognized the name in the schedule before you told me my appointment time. Then when I marched up and demanded all the materials for Inuyasha you didn't bat an eyelash. You didn't look surprised at all, didn't bring up anything about Shrine policies concerning what can and can't be given to the guests, and not only that –you had everything on hand. Now tell me, how often do you keep a pitcher full of water in your desk?"

Kagome leaned back, folded her arms, and gave him a knowing look before continuing. "You wanted me to be there, you wanted me to find him like that, you wanted me to help clean him up."

Ryu nodded the barest bit, confirming all she'd said. "I assume this means you succeeded. How did you manage to convince him to let you? He can be quite stubborn at times…"

"At times?" she asked, chuckling ruefully. "When isn't he stubborn? Even when he's lying in puddles of his own blood he says 'Oh, I'm fine as rain!' and refuses anything. Gah!" Kagome threw up her hands in surrender, then turning on Ryu she deadpanned: "I blackmailed him."

Ryu raised his eyebrows to indicate she needed to extrapolate further. He'd had no idea the girl could have such gall! "I told him that if the psycho got to do whatever she wanted with him during her paid appointment time, that it was therefore only fair that I got to do the same – and I wanted to clean him. If he didn't allow me I told him I'd simply have take it up with management, but that would require me explaining the situation and how badly he had looked laying there mangled and weak on the bed…"

Ryu chuckled darkly in response. "I'm glad I sent you then."

Suddenly she leaned forward across the table, lights dawning in her eyes, and she raised one hand to poke Ryu pointedly in the chest. "You like him, don't you?" Awe colored her voice, amazed that she hadn't connected it before.

When she saw him flush and nearly choke on his own tongue, she quickly amended, "I mean, well not like that, but…you wanted to protect him didn't you?"

"Yes," he said simply. He didn't want to explain his connection to the hanyou just yet – that opened a can of worms he was not prepared to deal with at this point in time, and he knew she wouldn't be either. She was just stepping into this world; there was no way she'd understand his or Inuyasha's position and he didn't want to see her eyes condemning him for his actions or choices for that matter.

"Why?" she breathed, her anger failing her for a split second as tears clouded her eyes. Just as quickly it was back, fury igniting her to lean forward across the table, as close to Ryu as she could physically get.

"Why then?" she hissed. "Why would you send a she devil to Inuyasha when you knew what would happen?"

"There was no choice."

She scoffed. "There's always a choice."

"Maybe for you, sweet little ningen girl you are."

"But it's inhumane!"

"Well and there you've hit the point on the head. He's not human."

Kagome stopped, her retort on her tongue, stunned. "What does that have to do with anything? So he's not human, big deal! Demons don't get treated that way either, do they? No – I don't think so."

She 'harrumphed' and sat back, crossing her arms in confusion and aggravation.

"You're still not understanding," Ryu said calmly. "Inuyasha is not human, but nor is he demon. The human rights laws only apply to humans; the same with demons. He is not considered either so therefore he is not protected by either."

She blinked. "So what are you saying? That Inuyasha has no rights at all?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard." Kagome glared at him. "You actually expect me to believe that?"

Ryu shook his head slightly. This was going to take some work. "How much do you know about demon society, Kagome?"

"I know they have rights and don't get treated like that."

Ryu stared at her nonplussed until she squirmed.

"Alright, not that much, I suppose," she admitted grudgingly. "The suburbs I live in are rather segregated between demon and human neighborhoods. The closest one to me is about 20 minutes away, but there's still not much interaction. Separate schools, separate grocery stores, separate restaurants – although the last I can understand." She made a face. "I wouldn't want to see the things some of those demons eat."

"Do you know why things are so separated?"

She shrugged. "I figured it was just because we're all so different – like the food thing. It's not required, it's just more comfortable to be around people you don't have to worry about grossing out or offending."

Perhaps she was a bit more naive than he'd initially thought. "Actually, a lot of it is because of the law."

Kagome sighed her frustration and slapped her palms on the table. "You cannot make me believe there are laws that demand segregation! And what does this have to do with Inuyasha's situation anyhow?"

"Patience, girl, patience. I'm getting to that but there's quite a bit of back story if you truly want to understand why he must be where he is and why there's really has no other options for him at the moment. And no – the laws do not demand segregation, but they certainly lean toward it and make it the easiest means to get by."

Kagome looked perplexed, silently demanding with her eyes for him to hurry and explain already.

"Demons and humans have different sets of laws. For example, if a human is seen skulking around on the top of someone's house they're taken for a burglar, yet a demon is not seen the same way because some jump across roofs in order to avoid foot traffic. The schooling is different to accommodate for different physical strengths and to prevent children from killing each other unintentionally. Even the work environment is different, what with retirement age law restrictions, since demons naturally live longer than humans and are functional further into life. See?"

She nodded hesitantly. "So that's why there's a separate demon police force and human police force? I thought they just didn't like working together."

Ryu confirmed.

"Then what happens if a demon cop finds a human committing murder or something?"

"The demon police must turn over all human criminals to the human courts so that they can be tried under human law, and vice versa."

"…And where does Inuyasha fit into all of this."

"He doesn't."

Kagome was about to have a brain aneurysm and had to stifle a scream. "What do you mean? How can he not fit in anywhere?"

"When was the last time you heard of hanyou law? Or the last time you met a hanyou? Or even heard of a hanyou?"

She wracked her brain, startled when she couldn't come up with a single thing.

"He's not fully human, so the human courts do not claim him under human law. He's not fully demon so the demon courts don't claim him either. Neither entity can force the other to take responsibility for the hanyou, so therefore they are left to no one."

Ryu gripped the edge of the table until his fingers turned white, his voice taking on a dangerous, frustrated edge. "Hanyou are not seen as human, not as demon, so therefore can only be animals. Even the animal rights groups won't protect them, so they become a species beneath notice, beyond contempt.

"They are under martial law, where even the most minor of transgressions, even falsified ones, can result in death. Cops are given permission to shoot on sight, under the acts of martial law, and even if that doesn't happen and a hanyou is taken to whichever court those police are part of, the trial is a mockery of justice and requires no evidence to come up with a guilty verdict, because, again, a hanyou has no rights."

He grit his teeth. "As unfortunate as it is, the Shrine is the safest place for him, even under the conditions he is forced to live in. The Shrine has taken him in, offered its name, its protection as long as he resides there, works there, as the certain clientele he entertains are highly influential and very rich. It's hardly a life, but at least it is one. He probably wouldn't last more than three days outside the Shrine on his own."

Kagome mind staggered at what had just been said. How could such a thing even be possible? There was no way a loophole like that could exist. She half expected to feel the first stirrings of wetness on her cheeks and wiped automatically at her face even though there was nothing there; her emotions remained locked inside for the time being, her face stony as she willed herself to hold on and concentrate so she wouldn't miss a tidbit. Besides, there was no way she'd allow herself to break down in front of Ryu.

"Why couldn't he escape to the forest? He'd be alone, a hermit, but certainly that'd be better than being tortured on a regular basis?"

Ryu shook his head sadly. "Unfortunately that's not an option either. There's not enough in the little bit of forest left to be a sufficient food supply, the game would die out far too quickly. Aside from that, all the forest left is either on private property or is government preserved – either one is carefully guarded and any poachers are quickly and harshly dealt with. So you can imagine what would happen to our dear Inuyasha if placed in that position."

Kagome chewed on her bottom lip, lost in thought for a moment. Finally she sighed. "So you're saying there's nothing that can be done to save him?"

"Not yet, my dear girl, not yet, but we'll see with time."

She wasn't sure what to make of the suspicious sparkle in his eyes, but quickly forgot it with other, more important matters pressing on her mind. Suddenly all her resolution and righteous fury was back in full force and she sat up straighter, her presence becoming more regal and foreboding. "I'll find a way," she declared, fully confident in her ability to do so.

With that she stood up and stalked away without a backward glance.

"I hope you do, Kagome," he whispered to her retreating back, a wistful gaze shaping his features. _And it might just happen if things keep going the way they are._

Smiling in what felt like the first time in years, Ryu stood up, stretched, and then walked for the Shrine, his home – ever since he'd brought Inuyasha there all those years ago.

* * *

Kagome was lost in her thoughts, still giving no notice to anyone she passed, even as she walked up to her room. Breathing a sigh of relief when she spotted the door to her room, she ran the rest of the way. Feeling the first inklings of wetness gather she fumbled with her keys, hastily threw open the door, then hit it when the doorknob refused to relinquish her keys.

"Please," she choked out, wishing the spirit in charge of all things metal and round and finicky would hear her and take pity. Finally they slipped out and she slammed the door behind her, falling against it as her knees gave out and she slid to the floor, fighting the panic welling inside of her.

She gave herself up to the torrent of emotions, erupting in choking, wailing sobs, sitting on the tile floor for what felt like an eternity.

Exhausted from everything that had happened she crumpled to the side, clutching her bag against her face, and fell asleep with tears still streaming down her face.

* * *

**A/N: **To all my reviewers:

Thank you so much. You have no idea how you keep me going. You think I'm bad at updating now? Just imagine what kind of motivation I'd have without you guys! Oi ve! ^_^

Special thanks to my lovely betas Akihana and seren1tystar01. You guys rock.

Original posting of FF version: July 16, 2007


	5. Revelation

Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler

* * *

**Chapter 5: ****Revelation**

- an enlightening or astonishing disclosure

* * *

Kagome woke up with the bright orange glow from the sunset streaming into her eyes between cracks in the blinds. What made no sense at all to her sleep-muddled mind was how on earth this was possible; the only window facing west was adjacent to the door, so therefore should plausibly make it impossible for it to be stabbing into her eyes like it was currently doing.

Taking stock of her current situation Kagome discovered the problem – she'd somehow during the night moved herself to the bed, though she didn't remember it in the least. Now that her mind was clearing she also became sharply aware of the awkward crick in her neck, courtesy of the bag she was still clutching to her body and using as an ungainly pillow.

She smoothed her hand back through her bangs, flipping onto her back to stare at the colors rippling on the ceiling as trees outside waved in front of the beams of light, trying valiantly to keep visions of the previous night and early morning from playing in her mind.

Muttering, she blew a stray strand of hair away from her face. Unfortunately, it also all came streaming back to her - how this morning she'd all but declared war on the anti-hanyou faction, striking herself the valiant heroine who would free the oppressed, namely Inuyasha, from his odious and woeful state. She pictured the make-shift heroin in an environment completely immersed in smoke, wearing an armored bustier with a leather skirt, an oversized Viking helmet with small wings to either side, one leg resting on an outcropped rock as she pointed her sword forward, inciting her men toward victory knowing that nothing could stand in their way.

Only problem, she realized heavily, was she was lost and didn't know which way was forward. In her mind's eye her war-princess immediately wobbled a bit, still not losing an ounce of determination as she and all her men ran hill-nil in circles while the enemy sat on a neighboring cliff laughing down at them.

Gah, what was she supposed to do? How on earth could she fight something like the kind of situation Inuyasha was in? She and her stupid big mouth!

She rolled over, stuffing her face into the pillow, muffling a scream.

No, she realized, her muscles relaxing her body further into the bed. No, she would have wanted to do something anyhow. Something – anything! She didn't know how anyone with any shred of decency could allow a system like this to work, how a world so utterly devoted to ending all racism and genocide and promoting peace between demon and human faction could at the same time have such a dark secret, skulking away in the corners, hidden away from the rest of the world.

The irony of it more than just stung.

There was no way now that she knew what went on that she'd be able to live like she had before, be the same person she was before. Knowledge was a dangerous thing: it increased responsibility. It would be impossible for her to walk away now.

Restless, she tossed a bit before turning over to her back again, flailing her extremities out as far as they could reach.

But still…what could she do? One insignificant human girl? Where could she even start?

_Wait a minute…,_ she thought, sitting up suddenly. _Where can I start? That's IT!_

With a small yell of triumph she launched herself off the bed, through the kitchen, and into the bathroom to start getting ready.

Granted, this wouldn't end her the war, but at least it was a starting place and a step toward getting there. Besides, anything would be more beneficial than sitting here twiddling her thumbs.

* * *

Kagome waltzed into Inuyasha's room, shirking off her monstrous backpack into the corner before sinking onto the bed. For his part, Inuyasha was trying to refrain from rolling his eyes at her groan even as he sat himself behind her without a word, reaching around to unzip her sweatshirt and sliding it off her shoulders before beginning to deftly work the knots in her back.

He was used to the ritual by now. Ever since that night a week ago when she'd marched in with a triumphant smirk he'd been badgering her about the weight of her bag, but she'd kept mum. All he'd been able to gather so far was that it was full of books as she'd finally let slip she was spending most of her daylight hours at the library. Of course since she didn't supply any further information this meant he teased her endlessly, claiming she must be making use of the public library's extensive sex section, still being fairly new and all. What intrigued him even further was that she never rose to the bait and blabbered out what she was really up to, only muttering vague epithets on how visiting the library was the only way she could occupy her time anymore, what with the lack of other 'suitable entertainments' to be found in the area

She felt all the tension of the day leave her as she sank against him, his fingers soothing her as his hands warmed her wind-blown skin. Pulling down the straps of her tank top so they weren't in the way of the massage, he dug his thumb deeper into a particularly vicious knot, earning a grunt in reply.

"What do you carry all those books for?" he tried again, nodding to the bag even though she couldn't see him. "What's so important you give yourself a backache over it?"

She shrugged noncommittally.

Since the day after she'd found him like…that…she'd been spending almost all of her free time looking up books on treatises, histories, exposés on politics, and anything else at all she could find relating to hanyou, their treatment, and the set up of the respective human and demon societies. She'd never felt so uninformed in all her life.

There were just so many things she'd never known about human society and its interaction, let alone demon society and all the nuances there. Hanyou were most conspicuous for their absence in almost all resources. They were mentioned here or there only rarely, and even then in the vaguest of ways.

It all made her want to tear her hair out! How was she supposed to find out how things worked if there was absolutely no information to be found?

Still, she kept trying. Kagome was nothing if not stubborn, and now that she had her task in mind she'd stick to it until she'd read through every dusty book (which meant almost every one not in the vaunted 'sex section') in the library. Unfortunately, many of the books she needed were in the reference section and thus she was not allowed to check them out, meaning long hours pulled at the library and precious funds going into the copy machine.

She had to admit though that despite her grumblings she really was learning a lot. There were so many laws regulating demon and human interaction that she was surprised they were actually willing to live together and put up with all of it. She had new eyes for the demon community that bordered hers, and again wondered why it was that there was so little social exchange between the two suburbs. Granted, it was a royal pain in the rear to know which laws applied where and what toes not to step on, but that didn't make it impossible.

She made a mental note to ask around about that when she got home.

_Home, huh._ The thought filtered through her mind with warmth. She'd been so consumed the past couple days she hadn't been able to spare much thought for it there. _I wonder how everyone's doing? If the shrine's doing well?_

"Hey!" a loud voice said, right against her ear. "I ain't doing this so you can fall asleep on me, you hear?" At that moment his touches changed, from strong and relaxing, to overpowering and demanding, from warming to heating, from soothing to creating an ache in her so powerful she was always perilously close to losing herself completely and eternally in it.

That night there was a sense of desperation, of urgency to their time together. It had been like for the last week, ever since _that_, but she knew tonight was different, could feel it in his fingers, all the way down to her gut.

The past nights he was always either in physical contact with her, even just in simple touches like the back of a knuckle trailing down her arm, or he was staring at her so intently she wondered if he could devour her with his eyes. Tonight the force behind it was multiplied, to the point where Kagome wondered if she'd survive the onslaught or, if she did, if she'd be the same person as before.

It was as if he were trying to drink her in by osmosis or wrap himself up completely inside her and disappear in her flesh, as though he wanted to learn her in every way possible and imprint himself just as indelibly in her mind.

The fact was Inuyasha was trying to do just that. He wanted to ingrain her onto himself, to remember exactly how she tasted, how she responded, all the faces she could possibly make; he wanted to crystallize her image in his brain so that her memory would never fade, so that when she was long gone from his Shrine he would still have something to cling to, some sort of lifeline to bring him back from the brink anytime one of his doms would bring him too close to the breaking point.

He would know that once, a long time ago, someone had treated him with respect, with kindness…as an equal.

He couldn't ever hope for the same thing to happen again, but he could remember, and it would be sweet.

As the sense of desperation reached an all time high that night Kagome had to force herself not to gasp at the ruthlessness of his perusal of her body. She might have said something if not for the serious determination she saw on his face, the sheer intensity in his gaze.

Something was different about this night; she knew it. She meant to ask him, she really did, but then he moved against her, inside her, and suddenly nothing in the world was more important than responding to him, making him feel as good as she felt, and everything else was forgotten, nothing existing aside from the two of them, their bodies, and their friction.

An eternity later, which felt like no time at all, Kagome looked up from where she was snuggled under Inuyasha's arm and groaned to see her time was up.

She was getting more and more reticent to leave every night. It was getting cold outside and he was warm and comfortable, plus she was getting highly annoyed with having to rouse herself, get dressed and at least somewhat fix her bed-head, head outside to engage in her nightly fight with the wind just to wind up at her apartment, throw off the same clothes she'd just put on, and get into a bed when she'd just left one. Where was the justice in that?

Glancing down at what appeared to be a peacefully snoozing Inuyasha she griped to herself. Nope, no justice in the world at all. She had to brave the elements while he got to sleep in – lucky jerk.

She poised her hand, ready to flick an ear, when the irony of her statement came crashing down on her – along with a nice dose of sardonic reality. She really had no clue what happened to him after she left. Lucky? Inuyasha? Ha, not likely.

When it was just the two of them it was so easy to forget that he was a hanyou, that outside these doors he was treated as a being without rights, with no feelings nor desires of his own. Heck, within these doors – when she was not here – he was treated even worse.

She shuddered again at memories of the night she'd found him so cruelly battered. It still boggled her brain that there were people out there who not only thought they had the right to act that way against someone else, but that they actually got their jollies from doing it too. It was unfathomable.

The marks had been mostly gone the next night when she'd come to him, but because she knew what she was looking for she'd seen the small lines that indicated where he'd been slashed, the tiny pock marks all that was left of the gaping holes from where he'd been whipped.

She hadn't been able to bring herself to look at anything below his pecs for fear of breaking into tears. Inuyasha was proud; she knew he'd hate seeing any sort of sympathy or pity, even compassion. He'd construe it as her thinking him weak, when she thought he was anything but.

Since then she hadn't noticed any other markings on him and when she'd cornered Ryu about it later the only thing she'd been able to wheedle out of him was that at the very least he was keeping the more violent of Inuyasha's regular clientele away the nights Kagome was with him. He cited he could get away with it by claiming any untoward markings on the tetsudai would upset the preeminent client – meaning Kagome since she'd been the one seeing Inuyasha longest during this duration – and therefore could be postponed until Kagome was no longer there to view such disturbances.

Kagome came back to the moment as she noticed that instead of flicking his ear her hand had somehow become tangled in his hair and was now gently stroking down the back of his head.

She glanced pointedly at her bag. No, there was no justice in this world at all.

But maybe she could do something about that?

After all, her presence here was protecting him a little bit already if Ryu was anything to judge by.

She'd tried asking Inuyasha if he was being sequestered away from only his extremely violent clients or from all of them, seeing as she wasn't sure if he had any clientele that didn't fall in the category of extremely violent. However he'd point blank told her to not worry about it, that it wasn't her business, and though she was hurt she'd later grudgingly come to realize that he had a point. If he had any other clients she'd worry endlessly about what they were doing to him but there wasn't a thing she could do about it. If he didn't have any others to service then she'd worry about him not earning his keep, since that was what kept him protected and in the Shrine.

Basically no matter which way she turned it his life was a mess.

One other upside of her presence though was that she'd helped in the 'death-glare-matches-of-all-evil' between he and Kazuma. She wasn't sure what caused it, after all Kazuma had seemed nice enough when they'd first met, but she saw the fire that spit out of his eyes whenever he encountered the hanyou, and Inuyasha had a tongue to match.

She could only assume it was prejudice and racism on Kazuma's part, which made her sad because now she was obliged to dislike the man, at least a little, even though otherwise he still seemed a decent human being.

He, somehow though, had taken a liking to her, perhaps even a shining. That annoyed Inuyasha to no end and at first Kazuma had not slacked on rubbing it in, until he noticed how much it annoyed and hurt Kagome too.

He may be a jerk to those he didn't like, but he knew not to push it with people he wanted to befriend.

So he'd called a peace with Inuyasha, as much as he could anyway. They had too much history to just smooth it over and be all chummy.

Inuyasha, though, was at a loss as to why Kagome would defend Kazuma and hold him back when he wanted to lay a good jibe on the arrogant bastard. He saw how Kazuma looked at her and was suddenly struck by the fear that they had secret assignations but one look at Kagome's face proved otherwise. While she may be nice to the cretin, she certainly didn't fancy him.

Besides, he chortled, how would she have the chance to go to such secret dalliances when she barely had the stamina to keep up with him – he knew he left her drained every night and that's the way he liked it, fitting compensation for the glowing look of satiation that graced her face whenever the two of them were done.

Aside from that, he grumbled to himself, she was the kindest soul he'd ever met, the only one besides his mother and Ryu to treat him as an equal being, so he supposed he could overlook this one small – glaring – defect in her. If she wanted to be chummy with Kazuma he could stand to at least try to not fight as much. Just trying was enough, right? Well, just so long as she didn't get _too_ friendly with the dweeb…

Inuyasha stirred under her hand and Kagome wondered when it was she'd gotten so absentminded. That was the second time she'd spaced out in the last ten minutes, and she was supposed to be getting dressed to leave.

"Inuyasha…" she ventured. Silence.

"Inuyasha? Are you awake?"

She heard some inventive cursing coming from the direction of the pillow. "No."

This time she did flick his ear. Hard.

"Owww!" he yelled, turning toward her while cupping the offending ear. "What the hell did you do that for?"

"That was for lying to me. I don't appreciate it you know," she mocked, sticking her tongue out at him. She quickly pulled it back in when she saw the smirk on his face as he stared at it.

"I'm not lying," he replied, turning back over so his voice was muffled by the pillows and blankets. "I am still sleeping and so are you. You're just dreaming, so you should lay back down before you fall out of bed." Somehow by the end of this statement she'd ended up doing exactly that, laying down, her front plastered against Inuyasha's back, her arm thrown over his side and cradled against his chest, held in place by the clawed hand that gripped it.

She expected a snicker from him, a smirk thrown over his shoulder, anything to acknowledge his slight victory, but there was nothing – and that seemed stranger than anything.

Kagome sighed and snuggled in closer to him. As much as she hated to admit it she'd love to stay there, but her time was up, actually at this point she was probably already late – she only hoped Ryu didn't dock her for it, she was living short on funds as it was – so she grudgingly pulled herself upright again, Inuyasha's grip going slack as soon as he felt her start to slip away.

"I have to go," she said, glaring at the clock and wishing for it to spontaneously combust.

She slid out of the bed and slipped on her simple sweater and skirt, balancing against his closet as she attempted to get her shoes on. "But I'll see you tomorrow, ne?"

Inuyasha sighed and Kagome furrowed her brow at the sound – it was so…so un-Inuyasha-like. She looked up at him, smiling slightly in victory from finally getting her first shoe on.

"No," he stated simply.

Kagome paused halfway into her second shoe, standing on tip toe, looking cuter and more confused than he'd ever seen her.

"What do you mean?" she asked. "Are you going somewhere?"

"Am I - ?" he blustered. Now he was the one confused. "It's our 14th night together, it's been two weeks," he said, indicating this had some external significance, but it was lost on Kagome.

"And…?" she pressed.

"And…two weeks is the limit…" He suddenly burst into anger. "Damn that Kazuma, didn't he tell you anything?" He looked at her but her look of loss was answer enough.

"Damn it," he seethed. "I'll kill him."

Kagome stood stock still. "Inuyasha?"

"There's a two week limit, Kagome. No client and tetsudai can spend more than two weeks together during any one client's visit." He lifted his head to look at her, ears flattening to see the shock written on her face, and he saw her question before it even formed on her lips.

"I already gave you the speech about kissing, right?"

Kagome gradually nodded her head and knew, simply knew that it made sense, that that was the safest way to run a shrine that made worship out of sex, but she didn't know why it hurt so much. Was it just the lack of foreknowledge and being slapped in the face with it? Just the fact that she hadn't had a chance to properly adjust to the idea of having to say goodbye to the person who'd featured most prominently in the last two weeks of her life?

Slowly she made her way toward him, reaching out to him and wrapping her arms around him, hugging him like it might be the last time they'd ever touch.

They wanted it to last forever, but the seconds were ticking.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her breath stirring a few stray strands of his hair. "I wish I'd known."

"Don't bother," he replied, gently running his claws up and down her back, sending shivers all through her body. "Maybe it's for the best, this way you didn't have to worry about it beforehand."

Bit by bit he pushed her back from him, hands bracing against her shoulders until finally that was the only contact between them.

"I'd say 'see ya 'round,'" he smiled to counteract her own watery one, "but well, you know…" He shrugged.

Yes, she did know. He avoided the other tetsudai as much as possible, not wanting to put up with their disdain or insults, and so pretty much stayed in his room or other private areas while in the shrine. When out of the Shrine…she wasn't sure if he ever left, if he was ever even able to leave, at least safely.

"Yeah, I know," she echoed, copying his shrug in a forced semblance of nonchalance.

"Don't worry about it," he admonished, kneeling on the edge of the bed and pushing her up to stand straight. "Now you've just got one less annoying, though devastatingly handsome hanyou to ruffle you up."

She glared at him, mocking indignation, putting her hands on her hips and cocking her head. "You're not annoying."

"So…you agree I'm devastatingly handsome?" he teased.

"Okay, maybe you are annoying," she agreed.

He suddenly got a smirk on his face, the one Kagome had learned to be wary of. "Plus, I do enjoy getting to mess up your hair every night."

With that he leaped at her, throwing his hands into her hair as he pulled her against her into the typified 'noogie-position,' headlocked under one arm while the other mercilessly undid all the straightening she'd just done to her sex-hair, adding a more than a few extra tangles and knots just for good measure.

Kagome used every dirty move she'd learned from years of fighting with a brother, elbowing his ribs, scratching his arms, pulling his nose (too bad his ears were too high, pulling on Souta's ears had always been most effective), finally winning her freedom and careening to an undignified halt halfway across the room.

Huffing she glared at him. "Agreed," she declared. "You are definitely annoying."

Inuyasha wasn't sure whether to smirk in victory or be disheartened by her proclamation.

"But I'm still going to miss you."

He stopped cold. Miss him? She said she'd…_miss_ him? _Him?_ He couldn't remember anyone ever saying that.

Kagome decided enough was enough. She hated long goodbyes and this one had dragged out long enough. Hefting on her backpack she opened the door and turned to face him, already standing with one foot out the door.

"I know you don't hear this enough so I'm just going to say it: you're a good guy. I'm glad to have met you, although I wish it had been under different circumstances so we could have remained friends. I'll miss you, so maybe I'll have to come visit you someday, ne?"

With a quick smile and wave she didn't wait for a response but slipped out of the door and into the night.

Inuyasha sat shocked. She'd come visit, huh? Yeah right, when pigs fly. She'll find some nice, boring country boy to settle down with, have a kid, watch the house, go to school – she'd have to do some more school if she liked carrying around that many books while on 'vacation,' – he slumped. There was no way she'd ever be coming back here once this tour was done – not for him, but thankfully not for anyone else either.

Even after two weeks she was still more pure than anyone else he'd met in the place; she deserved different, she deserved to remain as far away from this Shrine as possible, keeping its disillusioning realities from corrupting her kind of thinking.

Only she could have said such things.

Would she really miss him?

Pondering this Inuyasha laid back on his bed, playing through the scenes of the night in his head. He was bound and determined to commit every moment of it to memory, just as he'd been doing the last week.

He knew every curve of her body, every taste of her skin, every sensitive spot that could make her gasp. He'd learned how she responded to him, that she could actually make him smile, or even on occasion – laugh. Tonight he'd seen a few more precious expressions those features could make and he'd be damned if he'd forget any of it.

The future looked bleak for him. The best he could hope for was still shit, but somehow this one blessing had been blown into his life. He'd never thought to know such kindness, but now that he did he would hold on to it to sustain him through the beatings, through the physical and emotional torture, through the gaping loneliness that sometimes threatened to swallow him whole.

He would remember that once, somebody had been kind to him.

* * *

Kagome marched away from the room with a determined air about her. Two week limit, eh? She hadn't even known! How could they keep something like that from her?

Of course, _they_ meant _Kazuma_.

There were many people she would visit tonight, but she meant to make him the first.

There was no way she was going to let it end like this.

* * *

**A/N: **Reviewer notes:

Suelias ~ Kagome doesn't pray per se, the act of sex is the act of worship and prayer. (Maybe it somehow transmutates on its way to heaven? Haha, that's funny to think about.) If you want to know more you can check out ancient Green and Roman mythology, especially anything about Bacchus, Aphrodite, Cupid, etc. So essentially she 'prays' every time she's with Inuyasha or any other tetsudai.

Redbutterfly21 ~ You're right, it would be awkward for Inuyasha to be falling in love with her immediately, which is why he's not. (Hopefully I haven't made it seem so too badly I can't rectify it!) The reason he acts the way he does with her and is so mystified by her is because she treats him differently. If anyone in his situation, where everyone treated him like crap, suddenly had someone acting nice then he'd definitely think of her differently, but it's more of an 'in awe' type of feeling so far. I'd almost say bordering on hero worship, but we know our hanyou would never do that ^_^

Aside from that, I actually think Kagome is rather naïve and innocent regarding many things but that she's marked for her ability to not blink in the face of change and adapt to it.

Also many thanks to all reviewers who let me know they're there and I'm not writing for thin air. ^_^

Once again, thanks to my wonderful betas Akihana and Seren1tystar01. You guys rock, and thanks for your patience and careful prodding.


	6. Surreption

Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler

* * *

**Chapter 6: Surreption**  
- The act or process of getting in a surreptitious manner, or by craft or stealth.  
- A coming unperceived or suddenly.

A ruse in progress may be entertaining but still doesn't hold back the sorrow of parting.

* * *

Kagome, after haranguing Kazuma thoroughly, started wandering aimlessly around the Shrine properties and even into the connecting healing shrine. Her thoughts weighed her down and she needed to walk them out and work them through.

She knew she had to see Inuyasha again, had to have a real goodbye with him – they both deserved it. The problem was she knew it was absolutely impossible for her to get to his room the following night without being seen and having gossip spread all around the Shrine. Not only would she get in trouble, but more importantly Ryu and especially Inuyasha would likely be punished for the infraction.

So how could she change things around so that anyone who saw her would think nothing of it?

She'd been wondering this earlier while she'd been berating Kazuma. Obviously everyone had it out for Inuyasha, even Kazuma who'd originally been so nice to her. Didn't he even think about the fact that it would be hard for her to say goodbye to him and she'd want some kind of notice?

Suffice it to say Kazuma didn't think anyone could get attached to such a worthless animal and need such a luxury. It had never even entered his mind.

So despite the fact that the man seemed to genuinely like Kagome, he didn't just dislike Inuyasha, he full out despised him, and wouldn't want to help him in any way whatsoever, regardless of who else it might hurt.

There was no way she'd be able to convince Kazuma to cover for her. In fact, if he found out what she was up to, he'd at the very least stop it, at most turn it against the hanyou in the worst of ways.

That brought up even further problems, as Kazuma somehow managed to be at the core of every bit of gossip that spread through the Shrine, and everybody listened to what he had to say. If he caught wind of her escapade then both she and Inuyasha would be royally screwed.

Couldn't she somehow turn that against him? How could she use his big mouth for her advantage?

Suddenly it came to her: she'd have to convince Kazuma. He'd have to be at the very heart of the scheme but he wouldn't even know it. This would require the greatest amount of acting skill she could ever imagine – could she possibly muster it up?

Squaring her shoulders she marched back to speak with Ryu. She was going to plan this, and she was going to plan this well if it would be their final time seeing each other. She'd need the older man's help in playing Kazuma around and there were loose ends that needed to be tied up, but it just might work.

* * *

Kagome stepped out of the shop, sighing as she cracked her wallet. She'd just spent the majority of her remaining money in a single stop. Eyeing the bag warily she wondered if it would be worth it to be living on little more than ramen for the rest of the month.

After a full night's planning, scheming, and traipsing around the city to find what she needed, she could only hope so.

Now to get ready and watch the seconds tick by…

* * *

As he'd promised – the amount of threatening from a certain female notwithstanding – Ryu now had Kazuma trapped in conversation with him at the front desk.

This time of night things were pretty quiet around there; clients had either left already or were busy sequestered in their respective rooms with the tetsudai. People tended to mill around in shifts, coming between 9pm and midnight, leaving between 1am and 2am, coming between 4am and 7am, leaving between 8am and 9am.

Of course, he knew that, but then again he'd been around for years. What he had as of yet to figure out was how in the world Kagome had grasped the system when she'd only been there two weeks, most of which was spent either in Inuyasha's room or her apartment.

He shook his head; he wasn't going to lambaste himself trying to figure out the girl's mind.

_Speaking of which, where is she?_ Ryu wondered.

Coming up with her little plan she'd been insistent that everything run on the dot. Glancing at the clock he saw it was 3:01am. The room was empty save for Kazuma and he, or so he thought until he noticed the figure in the trench coat standing off to one side.

_Kami-sama!_ He had to get this woman out of here but quick if he didn't want the wrath of Kagome coming down on his head.

Catching his gaze the raven-haired woman started toward the desk, sending him a small wave and a smile.

"Damn," he spoke, just loud enough to break Kazuma from his ramblings and catch his attention. Following Ryu's gaze he shot a quizzical gaze at the figure and then smirked.

"My, my, Kagome." His eyes roving over her from head to toe, then back again, and again, his smirk deepened. "That's quite the interesting outfit you have there."

The only thing visible of Kagome's ensemble other than the shin length tan trench coat, belted tightly at the waist, was a pair of shiny black stiletto boots that disappeared under the hem. She knew it was a cliché get up, but that was the point. She wanted it to be obvious to Kazuma what she was doing.

She told herself to ignore his leering stare and concentrate on what all she had to do. Despite her growing distaste for the man she'd once thought of as a friend, Kazuma's big mouth made him one of the most powerful workers in the Shrine, and she needed to keep her cool if she wanted to make use of it.

Bracing herself for what came next, Kagome resolved her confidence. Kazuma had to buy this, he had to believe she was used to this and everything she was about to pull off.

Slowly she smiled at him and turned to Ryu before opening her trench coat and reaching a hand inside, grabbing a small bag, and tossing it before him on the desk.

The clink of coins caught Kazuma's attention immediately.

"I assume our agreement still stands?" she asked bluntly.

Ryu picked up the bag, eyeing it cynically until he opened it and judging its contents to be adequate.

"Alright, alright," he waved her on, "You can have Inuyasha for the rest of the night." Writing down some notes in his book he stopped suddenly to look up at her. "Just remember, don't damage the goods too badly, ne? Since 'technically' you're not seeing him tonight I won't be able to explain if he's out to recover. Got it?"

Kagome nodded, a small wicked looking smile curling her lips and Ryu had to repress a shiver. He knew this was all a ruse for Kazuma's sake, but even still she was playing her role to perfection. If he didn't know her so well…

Shaking off the thought he turned to the younger worker. "Not a word of this to anyone, you hear? I'm not losing my job over that hanyou."

Kazuma didn't bat an eyelid. Normally Ryu didn't speak derogatorily about the half-breed - in fact, he'd actually stick up for him - but luckily for them Kazuma wasn't the kind of person to question it when someone else's views came in line with his own.

Still…he eyed the bag in Ryu's hand greedily.

"Now how on earth are you seeing that pathetic half-breed, Kagome?" he asked, switching his gaze to her.

He couldn't keep the shock off his face at what he saw: Kagome was a dark fantasy of tight vinyl and bared skin. With the stiletto boots, thigh high fishnets and garters, hot pants, and cut halter she looked like a dominatrixed version of Bettie Page come to life. To top everything off she had on a decorative belt and another functional one that held, as Kazuma took particular interest in, a whip and a pair of handcuffs. He nonchalantly tapped two fingers against the side of his mouth just to make sure he wasn't drooling.

Slowly he forced his eyes back up to look Kagome in the face.

"You're going to see Inuyasha like this?"

She nodded.

"Whatever for?" he asked, clearly puzzled.

"It seems a certain someone," she pointedly looked at the ceiling while running a finger across her chin, "forgot to tell me about a certain two week limit."

She shifted and looked straight at him and he had to fight to keep his gaze locked on hers and not the delicate sway of the handcuffs or the way her stomach muscles contracted when she turned..

"I had certain plans of what I wanted to do to that hanyou that I've been unable to realize. Since I came all the way out here there's no way I'd leave without having my fun – it's so hard to find good partners for it, you know." She sighed with exaggerated exasperation.

"I know I won't be able to break the rules a second night so I have to shove everything into one night. Do you know how annoying that is?" She glared at him. "And I'd had such lovely plans." Her eyes glazed over as she stroked her whip.

The movement pulled Kazuma from his daze.

Kami, this was Kagome of all people! Sure, she looked hot as hell, but this was the same naïve little girl who had walked in here the first day not knowing what to do. There was no way this was real.

He looked at Ryu. "Nice one buddy." He moved to pat Ryu on the back but the older man scurried away at the contact, lip curling.

Ryu merely shrugged before turning to Kagome and smiling. "But how on earth did you convince Kagome to dress up like this. I must admit, as far as pranks go, this is certainly the tastiest."

He licked his lips and Kagome had to will herself to not wrinkle her face in disgust; she was quickly moving from dislike to severe distaste. Instead she stood as tall as she could, jutting her chin into the air.

"I don't know what you're talking about Kazuma. Really, you think Ryu could convince me to wear these kinds of clothes if I didn't want to?"

She reached into the second belt, where apparently a pair of gloves had been hiding in with the whip. Pulling them on, the tips of her fingers popping through where they'd been cut off, she flexed her hands in them, making the leather creak.

Kazuma looked closer and he could tell the gloves were definitely broken in and showed multiple signs of heavy use. Kami, but she knew she had been extremely lucky that the vinyl shop that carried used paraphernalia had a pair in her size.

She moved closer to him and ran one finger across his jaw before turning away and walking back toward Ryu.

"Just because I have a dark secret doesn't mean I'm going to show it to you right away. This was the first time I'd used one of the Shrine's prostitutes so I was feeling my way around. Is it any wonder I'd be confused my first day? And you still hadn't explained the rules to me well enough…or at all."

She glared pointedly at him, and Kazuma could almost believe her with a cold stare like that. Maybe he had been a mite lax in his duties? Ah well, but what did that matter now. Regardless of whether he'd explained the rules well enough or not, he wasn't sure if he could believe this ploy of theirs.

Finally, an answer came to him, one that would solve the question of her truthfulness, and also give him a good time in the process. He smiled and Kagome shivered at the intent behind it.

"I want you to show me that you know how to use that whip. Then I'll believe you."

Kagome stared at him aghast. What was she to do? Well, she'd seen whips used before, on television and the like, and the man in the store had demonstrated it for her when showing her the difference between the whips in model, length, and material. Sure, she hadn't done it herself but she was sure she could muddle through. After all, how can you mess something like that up?

She unhooked the whip from her belt and turned toward an empty corner of the room, intent on snapping it into the air, but as she was uncoiling it Kazuma interrupted her.

"Not that way." Turning his back to her he bent over slightly and rubbed a small section of his backside in a circle, grinning manically over his shoulder. "Prove it on me."

Shocked, Kagome turned to Ryu, pretending to be seeking approval for using a whip on a Shrine employee, but truly searching desperately for any kind of guidance he could give her. He looked very calm and sure of himself when he nodded a firm yes, so Kagome turned and did the same to Kazuma.

"Fine, then turn around completely, hands on that wall over there," she instructed.

He did as told and Kagome found herself standing approximately six feet behind him, holding the whip limply in her hand. She looked up at Ryu, who was suddenly standing so close to her it was disconcerting, but he simply held up a finger to his lips and motioned for her to hand him the whip.

"Come on already, I'm waiting," complained Kazuma.

Ryu pointed to Kagome, so she replied, "Stop your fussing already, or I'll really punish you."

With a bend of his arm and a flick of his wrist, Ryu snapped the whip soundly across the seat of Kazuma's pants, then hurriedly turned and thrust the whip back into Kagome's hands, but oddly refused to release her, his entire demeanor changing as he started to tremble.

Shouting in surprise Kazuma twirled around to see Ryu trying to pry the whip from the hands of an obviously confused Kagome.

"I want a go at him now," Ryu said, finally prying the girl's fingers free, eyeing the man in front of him with what Kazuma could only assume was Ryu's attempt at a malicious smirk.

"Look at you," he said laughingly, pointing to the limp way Ryu held the whip, his wrist bent at an awkward angle. "There's no way you can use that thing." His chuckle was getting heavier as he got a mental picture of Ryu in black leather chaps trying to subjugate three women around him, who cowered in delicious fear until he pulled out a whip. Then they all laughed at him and flocked to the nearby Kazuma, who was of course waiting with open arms.

Ryu glared at him petulantly. "Just turn around," he said, near on pouting.

"Fine, fine," he agreed, shoulders still occasionally shaking with mirth. When he felt the whip slap across his back it had all the force of a wet noodle, slithering across him like a snake, the tip winding all over the place, instead of slitting straight and true like a fine blade. He couldn't keep his laughter in any longer and ended up collapsed onto the floor holding his stomach, bracing his back against the wall.

"Alright, alright, I give," he said, giving Kagome yet another appreciative perusal. "You surprise me woman, I wouldn't have thought you had it in you."

He smiled and Kagome inwardly sighed with relief. Was he really buying this then?

She nodded to Ryu and started to walk off toward the door that led to Inuyasha's wing in the massive Shrine.

"Wait," Kazuma called, and she cursed softly to herself. What could be going wrong now?

"If he gets compensation," he jerked his thumb toward Ryu, who was already reseated behind his desk, head buried in his tomes, "then shouldn't I get something too? I assume you want me to keep my mouth shut."

Kagome sighed dramatically. "Fine, very well," she said, reaching into an inside pocket on her trench coat and pulling out another bag of coin, tossing it to him. "Good enough?"

As he nodded his consent she leaned over to get into his face where he was still seated on the floor.

"Now make sure you're keeping my little secret, okay? I don't like to be a rule breaker, and anyhow, it was your fault after all." She winked at him. "Besides, I really don't want to have to pull out this outfit for anyone else. That's a special treat just for special eyes."

With that she stood and walked briskly away, rolling her eyes at how thick she was laying it on - and how Kazuma was eating it up..

Turning her head slightly she caught Ryu's gaze, giving him a heartfelt smile and a wink.

She couldn't believe they'd pulled it off! She had to give him credit, Ryu was one hell of an actor - and she hadn't put in too shabby an appearance either, if she did say so herself.

They'd convinced Kazuma she was only going to see Inuyasha to take tremendous amounts of 'frustration' out on him, and that he should keep his trap shut. Now not only did she not have to fear the biggest mouth in the Shrine getting wind and spreading word of her jaunt – creating trouble for all of them – but she could safely assume that he would quash any rumors that did pop up, since he knew the 'truth' behind them and all.

She had to smile. It had all worked out so perfectly - minus a few looks and comments from the man she'd prefer to burn from her memory immediately.)

Now she was free to be with Inuyasha without fear of any repercussions.

And boy, was he in for some punishment.

* * *

_Damn it,__ she's late!_ Inuyasha griped to himself.

He hated when appointments came late – especially newbies – because that meant he got done late. Not that he was looking forward to tonight anyhow, but he'd just as soon get it over with

He yelled at the door yet again, then turned and thumped down on the bed just for good measure.

Finally, a full 20 minutes after the set appointment time at 3am, there was finally a knock at the door before it was pushed open.

Brazen little hussy doesn't even wait for a response and just barges right in, eh?

He was lying on his side with his back to the door and couldn't seem to muster any strength or enthusiasm for his new 'guest' so he just he rolled part way onto his stomach and propped himself up on his arms just enough so that he could glance under his right side to see the client.

His arm blocked his view from her chest up, but what he saw was enough.

_Yup_, he thought, _pretty typical_. He took in the penchant for black vinyl and leather that ran in this crowd, eyed the tall boots that she seemed slightly uncomfortable standing in, and almost smirked at the whip and handcuffs on her belt.

What, didn't she know any better? Didn't she know they'd paired her up with a monster who came with his own custom made manacles?

He eyed the whip again, noted its new condition.

_No,_ he hefted himself up on a sigh, _she probably doesn't know better._

Kami but he hated newbies. They were sloppy and unsure and took entirely too long at everything. He sincerely hoped this buffoon hadn't had the foresight to purchase extra time to make up for her own lack of expertise, because if she had… he'd be in for one hell of a long night.

_Back to the same ol' same ol' I see_, he thought. Not that he'd expected his respite to last as long as it had.

Turning around as he heard the lock slide home he came face to face with the last person he possibly expected to see.

"Kagome?!" he all but yelled in her face.

"Hi honey, I'm home!" She smiled up at him.

_What the hell?!_ All Inuyasha's thoughts had just been thrown into confusion. Kagome was showing her teeth to him, but there was no way he would classify that as a smile – no, on her, it looked almost like a grin, a smirk even. It didn't fit her at all - but then again, neither did the clothes.

_Damn__ it, nothing is making sense!_

"Now, now, Inuyasha," she cooed, "there's no need to look so surprised."

She unhooked the handcuffs from her belt and started twirling them on one finger.

"I suppose you could say I'd been working myself up to a point – I wanted to have my own fun too you know – but due a certain lack of information I'd mistakenly thought I had more time."

She sighed dramatically as she shoved him down onto the bed and moved beside him to secure his wrists to the head rail with the flimsy metal chain.

"I had to pay quite the mint to secure you tonight, but I made sure we'll have enough time to really have some fun."

Inuyasha was disgusted with himself; he was a complete idiot. He'd had a completely different view of Kagome, thought of her as the one nice person he would meet here. He should have known better; a decent person wouldn't ever show up in a place like this, wouldn't ever come to a hanyou. Man, he truly was an idiot.

Kagome leaned back. She flicked a glance at the manacles strung to the wall – truly disgusting things – and was very glad she'd had the foresight to bring her own. The point of this was that she wanted him to enjoy himself, to be able to give to him what no one else had ever bothered to do. He'd done so much for her though…she could only hope this would be a small sort of payback. On the other hand, it'd be interesting too, since it'd have to be by his own will that he remained bound. He'd be able to break through the steel handcuffs like they were nothing.

"Now that we're all situated it looks like it's time for fun now, ne?"

Inuyasha made no reply but Kagome saw his eyes dim then go blank, like he was hiding inside himself, causing her to grimace. She hated that look, it made him appear so dead, without all the fire that made him inherently Inuyasha, and she shook to think of what happened to him on a daily basis to make him have this kind of defense system.

Still, she was a coward. She couldn't dispel his misconceptions just yet; she knew she'd lose all nerve for what she was about to do if she told him what she was up to. He'd figure it out on his own quickly enough though.

_First things first, though, the dratted boots have to go! Seriously, whoever thought up stiletto boots should be shot, and whoever wears these on a regular basis has to be a masochist._ Reluctantly sliding off the bed she got her bearings on the floor and managed to wriggle out of the death-traps-of-doom, as she was now wont to call them.

Suddenly she blinked down at herself, just realizing she was still wearing the second belt with the whip still attached.

She wanted to rip the wretched thing from her body, burn the whip, never look at the bloody things again, but she restrained herself, knowing she was already showing Inuyasha a dual personality that obviously confused him so she didn't need to go adding in a third to clutter up the mix.

Instead she fingered the whip while loosening the belt. "Do you promise to be a good boy, Inuyasha?" He was surprised to note the hint of hesitation that caught her voice, but he refused to respond to it. He'd been fooled enough as it was.

He nodded again, obviously confused again when she threw the whip and belt over her shoulder, but also relieved.

"I'm glad. I won't be needing those again then, will I?"

He raised her eye brow at the word 'again,' _had she already used them?_, but he realized the question was rhetorical with the way her eyes lit and she moved toward him.

She spent the rest of the night trying to teach him to trust her in an area he'd been damaged so badly. She knew actions spoke louder than words with her hanyou, obviously with the way he'd second guessed many of her stories already, so she had her work cut out for her. Smiling, she bent to her task with alacrity.

* * *

The morning found her wrapped in Inuyasha's arms, memories of the previous night flooding her with the feel of cold manacles against her bare stomach and she couldn't fight back the blush.

Inuyasha had started out as if he were dead to the world, expecting her to do her worst as would any other client of his, and she'd mourned the fact he had developed such a defense mechanism. There had been touchy moments where he'd frozen in expectation of punishment for something he'd done and she'd had to keep the sadness and regret from her face, knowing he wouldn't appreciate it. The lack of wrath made him pause and, eventually, thaw, until he was himself again, bickering with her over the most inane things. She'd never been happier for a fight in her life.

She was amazed at his willpower to keep himself in the flimsy ningen handcuffs when he could so easily break them, but grateful for the confidence it gave her to do things she'd never dreamed she would have the courage to do. Eventually though his pleas broke through to her and she gave him a nod to break the chains – even though it was just in play she couldn't further stand the idea of dominating him in such a way when all his life he'd had no control. With a growl he'd promptly flipped her on her back.

Then he'd kissed her.

A soul rending, passionate, deep spirited kiss that more than just took her breath away; it tugged at her soul.

The rest of their night had been a melding of lips meeting between short bouts of sleep and Kagome still wondered at the change. She'd asked him why, why he'd kiss her, why he'd break his own rules, why he'd draw it out for so long instead of once, short, done with. He'd given her an inane answer about it being his way of thanking her for treating him well that night, that he'd thought she would like it and appreciate the gesture.

It still made no sense to her. She knew she would stand out to him forever because of this night, because of their time together and the way she'd treated him so much better than his other clients, so why risk getting even closer? By his own reasoning kissing only encouraged attachment and this was supposed to be a business arrangement and she knew they'd already crossed too many lines for a purely professional relationship. His reasoning didn't hold but she knew she wouldn't get an answer out of him he didn't want to give and then she couldn't bother as his lips found hers again in a touch so gentle it made her mind spin that he, with his background, was capable of such a gesture.

When mid-afternoon came around and their time together was finally over it was with great reluctance but better closure that they finally bid goodbye, sharing one last kiss and silent 'thank you's' before the door shut for the last time with Kagome on the other side.

She rubbed her eyes sleepily, making her way down the hall to Ryu's office where she'd stashed some normal clothes so she didn't have to go traipsing through the Shrine and the city streets wearing a trench coat and stiletto boots – as if that wouldn't give off any signals that something unusual had happened.

Kami-sama, she was just glad they'd been able to convince Kazuma of the ruse so she didn't have to worry about quashing any rumors or getting either Ryu or Inuyasha in trouble.

Still, she didn't look forward to coming back that night and having to face someone new. She knew she was more attached to Inuyasha because he'd been her first lover, let alone her first tetsudai, but she couldn't shake the niggling feeling of unease that followed on the thought. Shrugging it off she figured she'd feel better after she'd had a couple hours more sleep.

She just hoped the sinking feeling in her gut would be gone by then too.

* * *

**A/N: **Again, and as always, thank you to each and every reviewer, along with my splendiferous betas Akihana and Seren1tyStar01.

* * *

Original posting, FF version: August 16, 2007


	7. Circumvention

Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler

* * *

**Chapter 7: Circumvention**  
- To avoid or get around by artful maneuvering  
- To go around; bypass

* * *

The next few days passed by in a daze for Kagome.

She finally understood what Inuyasha had meant by disillusionment; the trappings of the Shrine bore down on her at last. With the men she saw the next nights it was 1: In, 2: ..., 3: Out.

Kagome couldn't even think of a proper term for it. It wasn't sex, it certainly wasn't making love, it was just…the closest description she could think of was hardly an appropriate word. To an extent it didn't even feel like it was worship, it was that cold and unfeeling. There was nothing gentle, elegant, or personal about it, it was just a well-oiled machine running like the business it was.

Business, nothing more.

She almost hated Inuyasha for making it more than that, for talking with her, for treating her like a person instead of a client, but even when she got angry she knew that he'd actually been protecting her, shielding her from an environment that treated sex as a detached form of a worship and not an emotionally involved experience.

Virgins should never go to a place like that, she thought. It would be way too easy to be turned off to the idea of sex forever or to pervert it in their minds to something _purely_ physical with no further implications – maybe even become the kinds of people who became regular clients of Inuyasha's.

She wondered how those women got to that spot where they enjoyed seeing others in pain. Had they always been like that? Was it bad childhood? Was it just bad experiences with sex? How long did they come to the Shrine before moving on to that kind of session?

Too many questions, to which she knew she'd never have the answers.

And now, as much as it also disheartened her, she was glad that Inuyasha had been her first, that he'd been so kind to her, that he'd argued with her and joked with her – well as much as he _could_ with _his_ sense of humor. He'd made her first experience something other than a business transaction that felt cold, regardless of the fact it was for a deity and to protect all her family. If she'd been thrown to these other Tetsudai first off she wondered if she'd ever truly want to get married if all she thought she could look forward to was an empty act.

All her romantic notions of love and happily ever after would have died on the spot if it hadn't been for him.

Closing her mouth on a muted scream Kagome hit the pillow next to her on the bed. She _had_ to stop thinking about that jerk. If she didn't stop she knew she'd go crazy or at least delirious from the lack of sleep.

She groaned at her latest failure to catch some zzs and climbed out of bed to the small table where her books were set up. Despite the fact that she hadn't seen the hanyou in days she was still adamant about finding out everything she could about his position in demon and human society, any loophole where she could find a way to give him his freedom.

Sunlight poured in through the cracks in the blinds and Kagome traced the patterns across the words on the page she was reading. She'd been studying for some time now and still could only find the barest references to hanyou at all, and then it was only in the same sense as an animal, always as a possession or something else barely even worth mentioning it had so little value.

How could a modern society still think that way?

Stifling a yawn she sent a wistful look at her bed but she knew it was useless. As soon as she lay down her mind would fill with silver hair and fleeting smirks. She knew it was pointless to try and sleep so she figured she may as well try to do something productive with her time and went back to reading.

* * *

Kagome made her way up to Ryu's desk that night still trying to wipe the crease marks on her face from where she'd fallen asleep on her stack of books.

She cracked a sleepy smile at him, feeling both sheepish and annoyed at her coming request. "Do you think you could pick someone for me tonight, Ryu? I'm sick of rifling through that massive book and the last three I've picked haven't exactly been winners anyhow…"

Looking up she saw him gazing at her thoughtfully, rubbing his chin. "Well, this certainly is abnormal procedure for here, but why not. And as it happens a certain Tetsudai actually requested a few days ago that I suggest him to you, after it appeared you would be sticking on the human end of the spectrum."

"He – he's demon?" That caught her by surprise.

"What?" Ryu asked, raising an eyebrow at her. "You got a problem with that, Miss 'I'm On A Crusade Against Prejudice'?" He ribbed lightly.

"No! Not at all!" She waived her hands wildly in front of her, as if to brush aside the very thought. "It's just that I've never interacted closely with a demon before so the thought is a bit scary. Besides, I thought most demons looked down on humans and didn't associate much with them, let alone sleep with them."

"And just where do you think hanyou come from?"

She had to fight a blush from creeping up her face. Criminy, she was not hearing this from _Ryu_ of all people.

"Everyone's a little different, Kagome, you should know that." His look didn't carry any condescension, just patience, and that made her breathe easier. "Besides, I know this guy, Kouga: a bit on the arrogant side but all around nice guy. If you'll take this old man's opinion I think the two of you will get along quite nicely – much better than the last three."

Kagome had to smile at this, a slight sense of relief flooding her at the idea that tonight might not be as cold as she was becoming used to. "I guess I'll just have to rely on you then, Ryu-san. But you're not allowed to take the title of 'old man' until you're grey all the way around."

She winked at him.

"So what time can you fit me in with this Kouga?"

"How about right now?"

"What? He's actually free for next session? Now what are the odds of that?" she pondered quietly.

_Almost nonexistent_, Ryu answered quietly. The truth was the ookami youkai had been pestering Ryu about 'that cute ningen girl' since the beginning of her second week there. He'd been flabbergasted to learn she's stuck with 'mutt-boy' for so long but knew their time would be coming to an end soon enough and then he had hope for his shot. Kouga had actually put in his request with Ryu almost immediately after Kagome had caught his attention and had been in the back burner of Ryu's mind for the better part of two weeks, but he wasn't going to bring it up unless Kagome asked first, regardless of Kouga's demands.

He knew Kagome was a sweet girl and would go with almost anyone he suggested and he didn't want to take advantage of that and send her to someone she might be uncomfortable with. Now that she'd broached the subject though he was glad as could be that he'd finally have the wolf off his back, as his requests had gotten more and more adamant each day.

As he'd said though, Kouga wasn't bad, otherwise he'd never bring it up to the girl regardless; the wolf could be a bit pushy, that was all, and Ryu had more than enough stress otherwise. He was just careful in how much he told Kagome as Kouga had been very specific of what he could and could not divulge.

_Really,_ he thought, rolling his eyes as he gave Kagome the paper with the instructions on where Kouga's room was located, _the poor youkai just didn't want to let her know too early how excited he was to be with her._

With that, he bowed back over his books and wondered if he'd have to wait until the next night to see how things turned out.

* * *

Kagome sighed at her own hesitation outside the Tetsudai's door. _Yeesh, you'd think it'd get easier after a couple weeks_, she groused.

Her finger sat on the buzzer, and she'd only begun to press it when the door was flung open and she was pulled into a pair of strong arms as the living stuffing in her was almost squished out by the force of the enormous bear hug.

She hadn't even been able to see the person who opened the door before her face was crushed to a hard chest but Kagome couldn't help but giggle at this flamboyant greeting. As quickly as it began the hug was cut off and she was held out at arms length in front of one of the cutest men – _correction, youkai_ – she'd ever seen, and she wasn't able to resist her first genuine grin in three days.

The Tetsudai in front of her was simply exuding energy, as if he were barely holding it in and it was a marvelous feat he was standing in one place at all. The only still parts on his body were his eyes, which were glued fastidiously to her face and she blushed under the intensity. Still, the overall feeling he gave was one of an exuberant little boy who'd just found his newest plaything.

Kagome wasn't quite sure she liked the analogy, but it was still one step up the totem pole from the "slab-o-meat" status she'd had the past couple nights.

"I take it you must be Kouga," she said lamely to break the silence, extending her hand in front of her. The youkai took it and shook with enough force she was worried about one of her joints popping out.

"That I am, that I am," he replied, turning to pull her toward the bed, ignoring the slight hesitation in her step. "I'm glad you decided to come," he continued, sitting down and patting the bed next to him, the spot he indicated being far enough away from him to not require any touching should she not wish it. "I've been wanting to get to know you."

That stopped her cold. His slip, wherein he unintentionally admitted to having watched her for a goodly period of time, went unnoticed by Kagome. She was too busy reveling in her sudden status boost.

"Get to know me?" she asked, wanting to make sure he wasn't simply using a euphemism to allude to knowledge of a more personal nature.

"Yes, of course. Where were you born? Where did you go to school? Do you still go to school now? What do you want to do? What about your family? Are you in a relationship? What are your hobbies? Do you like your meat rare or medium well?"

She stared, blinking, at his earnest expression, before she crumbled into laughter. Her nervous energy from earlier was bubbling to leave her and his final question pushed her over the edge.

She had to cut herself off quickly though as she noticed his crestfallen look. Patting him genially on the shoulder she held her other arm to her stomach and grinned in his face. "Don't worry," she said. "Laughing right now is a good thing for me." She was gratified to see the smile return to light up his face.

They launched into their life stories and it was amazing how much talking the two were able to accomplish in so little time. Kagome told Kouga all about her home and her family, the Shrine and school. She tried to keep herself as short as possible though because now that she wasn't so worried she found she was burning with curiosity about him, his demon heritage, and his relationship to the Shrine.

"So how did you end up here?" she asked abruptly.

Kouga blinked at the quick change in subject but was more than pleased that she was interested in _him_ and not just his talents as a Tetsudai.

"Well a person ends up a lot of places when he's 153 years old." He crossed his arms over his chest, closed his eyes, turned his head away, and stuck his nose up in the air in mock disdain of her question. Of course he couldn't help but peek under his eyelashes to see her reaction and was pleased to see he caught her off guard but she wasn't disgusted as he'd worried. When she started laughing, however, he grumbled to himself, thinking he'd been worried about the wrong reaction.

"But you're so…so old!" Kagome gasped out between fits of giggles. "I couldn't possibly sleep with someone who could be my great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great…GREAT grandfather! I mean, sure it's legal, but doesn't it still reek of pedophilia?"

At the appalled look on his face she couldn't hold it in anymore and collapsed onto the bed holding her stomach, tears running down her face as she tried desperately to catch her breath.

Kouga just snarled at her impishly and Kagome was sure it had been that final 'great' that had pushed him over the edge. Then without warning he pounced on her, pinning her to the bed, which was a simple feat since she was still weak from laughter and he was…well…youkai.

She stiffened, half from tension and nerves, half to continue their playacting.

He gently squeezed the wrists that were wrapped in his hands to remind her of her position and grinned cheekily down at her. "I'm still young enough to satisfy anything _you_ could ever want."

Lips still curled he slowly rose off her, as if he'd been meaning to move more quickly but was reluctant to leave her, then offered her a hand up. She was flustered and was sure her face wasn't quite its normal hue but she tried to cover it by talking again.

"So if you're not going to tell me why _you_ specifically are here, then maybe you'll tell me why so many other demons come to work at the Shrine? I'm sure it can't be they're all nymphomaniacs…"

Kouga was astonished. He thought he'd avoided the question directed at him earlier with enough charisma and subtlety that she wouldn't pick up on it. She showed him though. This was just yet another reason he was confident in his choice and was sure she'd be suitable.

"Skip the idea of youkai working here for obligation or debt and run straight to sex addiction, eh? Something weighing heavily on your mind?" He waggled his eyebrows at her and she picked up the pillow behind her and hit him on the shoulder.

"I happen to be here because of the power of the prayers offered here, not because I'm a nymphomaniac, thank you very much," she said snootily, sticking her nose in the air much in the same manner Kouga had earlier.

Said youkai wisely kept his mouth shut about his position on how very much he might like it if she _was_.

When he didn't contradict her Kagome got down off her high horse and continued her thought. "I don't see youkai _needing_ to work here as some humans apparently do. Most are paying off debt by working it off but youkai have so many other job options, especially with their strength. The jobs might not be the most glamorous, but still I don't see any overseer turning down a youkai for a construction job when most could easily do the work of 5 men.

"No," she shook her head. "It doesn't make sense for them to be here for that reason. The humans either commit their lives to this job as a service of monkhood or are at the end of their options."

She tapped her index finger against her chin in contemplation. "I couldn't see a youkai doing either; I don't see them having no other options and, as we've already discussed, their lives are sooooo much longer," she drawled out the word intentionally to make him squirm, sighing and rolling her eyes when it didn't work and he just smirked at her.

"They're not likely to commit their entire lives to something like this, working here with no family. Seems like it'd be a few year commitment at most for them."

Kouga coughed. The girl was uncommonly bright and hitting too close to the mark for his comfort. Of course he'd tell her eventually, and he hoped sooner rather than later, but there was no way he could let her know right now that many youkai came to work at the Shrine with the ultimate goal of finding a new wife, typically when their first had died too early.

"You're right in that the two year training to become a Tetsudai is like a drop in the bucket to most youkai so it's not a lifelong commitment for us. Some of us sign contracts for set periods of time that can be extended, some are here on a contingent basis and can quit whenever we like."

"Which kind are you?"

He leaned over her and leered. "The kind that wants to finish all this chit chat and get on to the main course."

His smile turned jovial as he moved closer, boxing her in on the bed, all but crawling onto her lap, though there was still no physical contact made "We don't have time tonight to be as thorough as I'd like – for the sake of the depth of your prayers, of course." He winked at her.

"I guess I can just hope you allow me to remedy that tomorrow night." He didn't allow her to speak, instead sticking a finger in her mouth to cut off any reply she might have made and moved to kiss her neck.

Before she knew it they were both nude and she was lying under him, her awkwardness and nervousness back tenfold. Maybe it was just the first night jitters? Maybe she _should_ try him again the next night and it could be better. He was pretty nice after all.

She tried to make herself relax and loosen up a little. It wouldn't do either of them any good if she was tense and rigid through their session. She thought back over their conversation, chuckling to herself again over his reaction to his age and wondering if 153 years old was young, middle aged, or old for a youkai?

Letting herself get caught up in her thoughts she followed the rabbit trails through her mind as she felt the tension draining from her limbs.

Did age expectancy vary depending on the race of youkai? Would a hanyou live as long? For that matter, just how old was Inuyasha? How long had he been subjected to such a degrading and painful lifestyle just because of his blood?

Laying back she closed her eyes on a sigh only for them to fly open again as she gasped, a phantom image of silver still playing behind her eyelids.

She tried to collect herself but couldn't quite stop the shaking. She'd never felt so dirty in her life. The blasted hanyou not only haunted her thoughts enough to prevent her from sleeping but now she'd fallen so low as to think of _him_ while with another Tetsudai.

She was close to drowning under the sudden tsunami of guilt and disgust at her own actions but instead of allowing herself to fill with self-pity she felt resolution swell within her.

She would forget Inuyasha and only think of him in relation to politics and hanyou position within society. Never could she lay aside his situation and the fact that someone needed to take up a cause for his rights – and if no one else would do it then she would claim the role. But other than that she would have to push him completely out of her mind, for both their sakes. He would be hanyou, casual friend, and political cause to her, and no more.

Slowly she raised her arms and wrapped them around Kouga, stroking her fingers up and down his curved spine. She took it from the way he shuddered against her neck that he liked what she was doing.

Yes, she would forget all about Inuyasha as an individual.

* * *

As it was, Ryu didn't have to wait until nightfall to see how things had gone. Kouga found him the following morning as the Shrine was shutting down, patting him soundly on the back and grinning like an idiot.

"I take it things went well?" Ryu asked dryly.

"Of course!" Kouga enthused. "Why wouldn't they? So well, in fact, that my little woman is coming back tonight!"

"You know this for sure?" He chose to ignore his regarding Kagome as 'his little woman.'

"She said so herself."

Ryu couldn't quite keep down the grin at Kouga's antics. He half expected to see him start pounding his chest in glee. "So what time do you want me to make the appointment for?"

Kouga looked slightly crestfallen for all of two seconds. "I didn't bother to ask her what time, thought she might do it on her way out." Then he perked up. "I know! Just cancel all other appointments for me and keep the night open. That way there's no way I'll be unavailable when she comes." _Sometimes I'm just too brilliant,_ he preened.

"You sure about that Kouga?" Ryu was stunned. He'd known the youkai had a thing for Kagome but he'd had no clue it was this serious yet. The guy'd already cancelled three nights worth of appointments waiting for an opportunity to make himself available to the girl he was fixating on, but to keep going...

The feeling was only amplified when Kouga nodded in affirmation.

"Just make sure you take it easy with her, okay? She doesn't know how everything runs around here yet, especially not when it concerns demons." Said demons had a completely different set of rules in the Shrine, many more liberties and often quite different reasons for coming to work in the Shrine to begin with.

For the sake of her own sanity Ryu hoped she caught on quickly.

* * *

The night went pretty smoothly for Kagome. She'd arrived and been momentarily confused by the openness of Kouga's schedule, but as Ryu was reluctant to divulge anything about it she shrugged it off and headed down the hall, one much nicer than the one Inuyasha had lived on.

Kouga himself had been a surprise as she'd expected any demon to be gruffer and colder than anyone she'd met so far. She now knew she'd unfortunately delved into a stereotype on that one, as the human men she'd encountered between Inuyasha and Kouga were by far the coldest of the lot.

In fact, Kouga was one of the kindest people she'd ever met, in his own way of course. Ryu had been right when he'd said the youkai was inherently arrogant and probably thought himself to about as close to perfection as was possible in something this side of one of the kami, but he also continually stopped throughout their sessions to check and make sure she was doing okay and was enjoying herself, that he wasn't going too slow or too fast for her tastes.

It was touching really, even if a bit exasperating at times, and she wasn't sure if this was how he was with all his clients or if it was special with her because he liked her.

Yes, this only their second night, but it was painfully obvious that the youkai liked her; she just wasn't sure yet as to what extent.

At the close of the hour he'd pulled her into a tight embrace as if to forbid her to move from their cocoon under the blankets, not even relenting when she saw the clock chime her time to leave.

"Kouga, I need to go now. You know I only paid for one hour."

"I'm sure you know the rest of my schedule was cleared right?" He smirked as he felt her head nod against his shoulder. "Then that means I have the rest of the night off and it's mine to do with as I please." He whispered in her ear, voice pitched low, "And it pleases me very much to keep you right where you are."

Kagome pushed herself up on her arm to look him in the face. "I – I can't do that. I'd feel like I was cheating the system, like I was taking advantage of both the Shrine and you somehow."

He brushed the backs of his fingers against her face, smirk widening to a grin, eyes gleaming. "How like my woman to be so considerate and fair. Then I tell you what – it's only 1:30, so you should be up by say noonish right? How about you meet me in the market at 1:00 and we'll go grab some grub. I'll be off and out of the Shrine, so does that work for you?"

She hesitated a moment, pondering more over his term for her than his proposition. He'd been calling her that all night but she really wasn't sure what it meant. Was this some sort of weird demon thing?

Nodding, she turned to slide off the bed and put her clothes back on. "Yes, that should work fine. It'll be good to go out with someone who actually knows his way around this town. Can we go exploring a little bit too?"

"You got it babe."

Satisfied, Kagome pulled her purse on and unlatched the door. "See you tomorrow then," she called, waving over her shoulder as she headed down the hall. Then with a quick goodnight to Ryu she headed home for some much needed sleep.

* * *

It didn't hit Kagome until she was out her door that Kouga had never specified _exactly_ where to meet. The market was a big place and she didn't fancy milling around the place for hours until she ran into him.

As if she wasn't nervous enough already.

_What am I doing here? Is it okay for me to be seen with a Tetsudai outside the Shrine? Is he even _allowed _out during the daytime? I suppose he must be since he offered, and I'm sure he wouldn't want either of us to get in trouble…_

Her next thought made her pause.

_Does this constitute as a date?_

Luckily she was saved from following this thought through by the sudden arrival of Kouga, who found her just as she set food inside the market square.

"Kouga!" she exclaimed, surprised at seeing him turn up so quickly. "How on earth did you find me so fast?"

"I am a wolf youkai, woman. I could smell you a mile away!" His trademark crooked grin appeared at her blush.

"I didn't know your sense of smell was _quite_ that strong. I mean I can barely smell anything other than that fish stall right there," she nodded her head to the left to indicate the man peddling his catch, "and I figured it'd be even more overpowering for you with all the competing scents."

Another thought appeared to her and she looked at him with horror.

"I smell that strong?! Oh no, do I smell bad? Do I stink, is that why it's so strong? I swear I took a shower just this morning – "

"No Kagome," Kouga interjected smoothly, grasping one hand in his. "You just smell like a woman, that's all. If I knew him I could pick out any other person at a mile too. I just have a vested interest in yours," he waggled his eyebrows, "so it comes a bit more easily than others."

Kagome decided to forgo questioning him about his 'vested interest' as he pulled her into a section of the market she'd never seen before.

Bright colors were all around her, silks hanging not only from vendor stalls but also from stall to stall across the lane, turning the ordinary dirt path into something of an exotic hall she thought only existed in fantasy books.

Staring in open-mouthed wonder at the beautiful masterpiece of woven fabrics and tricks of light she happened to catch the eye of an old woman at a scarf stand. The woman never looked away but as Kagome followed Kouga around a corner she swore it was … admiration, yes _admiration_ in her gaze.

Glancing around she noticed more of the same reactions from others, ranging from admiration and respect to – she swore – even a smug, knowing glance from one particularly beautiful bird youkai.

It caught her attention even more that not a single seller had called out to them trying to hock their wares but that instead everyone was keeping something of a distance from the two in the lane.

Kagome shuffled a little closer to Kouga, squeezing his hand just a bit tighter for reassurance as she felt quite lost in it all.

"I've never been back to this part before. Where are we going?"

"You said you wanted to see a bit of the city, right? I figured we'd start off by taking the scenic route to my favorite restaurant. Women always seem to like the bright colors, am I right?"

She nodded, oddly touched that he'd thought to take the long way in order to show her something so unique.

Of course, it had absolutely nothing to do with his wish to hold her hand for as long as possible…

The restaurant turned out to be open-aired with a casual atmosphere, making Kagome somewhat more comfortable after all the disconcerting interaction so far. Curiously, she saw that while there was no hostess station and no place for reservations to be made it was obvious that the two of them were expected and were ushered immediately to the best table in the place. He gently ushered her toward the pillows in front of the low table and she was further amazed when their food appeared before them immediately.

"Kouga," she questioned hesitantly, "what is all this? We haven't ordered yet so shouldn't we send it back? Whatever table this belongs to is probably starving at this point."

He simply shrugged and dug into the closest plate to him. "I let them know beforehand that I was coming here and they know my tastes. I just had to guess what you might like," he gestured toward the plates sitting in front of her, "but if you'd prefer something else just let me know and I'll have them bring that instead."

She shook her head quickly and waved her hands in front of her face. "No, of course not! This is fine, just…unexpected."

The two were silent for a while. Kouga busy eating and while Kagome could normally carry on a full conversation during a meal just as well during any other time, her mind was preoccupied with the odd events of the day. She couldn't pick out just what it was that was grabbing her attention, but something about the way other people had been reacting to them just seemed…off, different from what she'd anticipated.

Quite suddenly Kouga finished his food and looked up at her intensely. "I brought you out here today not only to spend time with you but because I want to ask you something."

She nodded for him to continue, unsure where he was going with this that would cause him to be so serious.

"I want you to be my woman, Kagome, officially." He grabbed her hand again and brought it to his mouth. Kagome was too stunned to even think of stopping him.

"What do you mean by that?" She asked, truly baffled.

"I was married once, to a lovely youkai named Ayame. She had wild red hair and an even wilder personality. We'd been betrothed from the time I was 13 years old and it took me a long time to get used to the idea, even longer to realize I truly did love the little scrap of a girl." He smiled wistfully at the memory.

Kagome put her hand on his arm in sympathy.

"It's been over 50 years since she died but youkai mate deeply and it took me a while, but now I am most definitely ready to move on."

He paused dramatically and his eyes bore into her, smoldering

"Many demons who lose their mate take a human for their second spouse-"

"Wait," she interrupted breathlessly, "you mean-" She cut herself off as she started to hyperventilate.

Kouga grabbed her up by both hands and started to pull her from the restaurant. "Come on," he said, "It seems we'd better continue this conversation somewhere else."

"Kouga, stop." She tried to dig in her feet and he turned to look at her in question. "The bill, we haven't even paid yet!"

"Oh, don't worry about that," he waved her off with one hand, other tugging her more firmly behind him. "Tetsudai never have to pay for anything in the city. It's the restaurant's privilege to serve the Shrine in such a manner."

"But, but Inuyasha…"

"Inuyasha's a hanyou," he stated, as though that was all the answer she needed.

And it was. It wasn't Inuyasha's position as a Tetsudai that kept him confined to the walls of the Shrine; it was his status based on his race and parentage.

It suddenly all made sense. The special treatment at the restaurant, the looks from everybody in the street – they all looked at him with respect and her with a mingling of awe and jealousy. They all thought…

"Everybody we saw today knew you were going to ask this of me, didn't they?" She felt like such a fool to not have seen it earlier.

Kouga slowed his steps when he noticed her change in demeanor and gave a heavy sigh. "It's not everyday you see a demon and a human walking the streets openly together."

She nodded silently, grateful that he was leading them into a deserted part of the city so she wouldn't be subjected to any more prodding eyes.

They walked on quietly, each in their own thoughts. Finally, when Kouga was satisfied they'd come to a private enough sector of the city, he turned to her.

"You know, if you want you could take me on a trial run." He grinned widely but his attempt at levity was lost when she saw the serious depth in his eyes.

"What does that mean?"

"Just what it sounds like. Clients aren't always able to get away from their jobs for any length of time in order to visit the Shrine itself so Tetsudai are able to be… 'rented' out – if you want to call it that – and so the clients can worship in the closest shrine or even their own homes. Of course, since during this time we wouldn't be officially anything other than Tetsudai and worshipper you'd still have to pay the Shrine fees, but it'd give you time to get a bit more used to me."

He grinned and Kagome could detect just the tiniest hint of shyness and maybe even insecurity in the gesture. Could he really like her that much?

"I…I just don't know Kouga. This is rather sudden and I'm not sure what to think about it…" Honestly, that was putting it kindly. Kagome was currently wondering if the earth was still round or had shifted its axis to put her in such a crazy situation. How was a girl supposed to respond to something like this? Getting a proposal after only two days of knowing a guy, from someone from another _species_ no less, was bound to throw anyone for a loop.

"That's okay, Kagome, I know I'll win you over sooner or later." His arrogance was back and she had sensed just the slightest emphasis on his 'sooner'. "Tell you what, why don't you head on back and get some sleep. I guarantee you; you'll need it by tonight." He leaned in and his lecherous smirk did funny things to her stomach.

Suddenly all she wanted to do was get away from him, from the whole situation, and find a place to quietly think. She desperately wished one of her friends were here right now, she would kill for someone to confide in. Sadly she knew there was no one in town she trusted with such a situation and her friends hadn't been here and wouldn't understand. "That sounds good. I'll see you tonight then."

She turned and started walking, then paused and smiled back at him sheepishly. "Kouga?"

His heart immediately raced. Was she going to accept him right now after all?

"I wasn't really paying attention when you brought us here, you know, thinking about…_that_ and all, and…can you show me how to get back to the entrance?"

He'd never loved her more than in that moment. The girl really was too sweet and innocent for her own good. "Sure babe, no problem."

* * *

The night had gone fine as far as Kagome was concerned. Kouga hadn't said anything further about his proposal, which he'd probably assumed was a good idea since she'd been so tense he'd needed to spend extra time just to give her a massage in order for her to loosen up.

They'd ended the session with Kouga curled around Kagome, snuggled her deeper into his arms, and getting a promise out of her that they'd meet again the next day at the market. The ookami youkai was feeling quite satisfied with himself as Kagome left his room and he stretched languidly on his bed, his mind racing with plans of how he'd win her affection the following day…or night.

* * *

Her time with Kouga the next day in the market was surprisingly comfortable. Kagome had been paranoid she'd be unaccountably nervous around someone who'd just proposed marriage to her, especially someone she hadn't _answered_, but they were able to fall into easy conversation and she honestly felt like she'd known him for ages.

They went to another restaurant where they received the exact same treatment as the day before, only this time she wasn't caught off guard when they skipped the bill. She even learned to appreciate the looks they got walking down the narrow lanes.

They'd found a small sector that had games and seemed to be set up for a coming festival but since it was daytime it was still relatively deserted. Of course, the real crowds only came at nighttime, but they were having a time of it all the same. Kouga had won her prize after prize to the point where she'd laughingly had to start refusing them. His downcast features upon her rejection of the newest proffered item only caused her to giggle harder and she threw her arms around him for a quick hug to assure him she wasn't mad with him. The instant light in his eyes made her breath catch – it was beyond belief to think that _she_ could so affect someone.

She decided to try her hand at the newest game they'd come to where she had to knock down three bottles piled on each other. Unfortunately, despite years of practicing archery, her aim wasn't the best and her pitiful attempts had both she and Kouga in tears before long. Suddenly, with no warning at all, he grabbed her around the waist, swung her into his arms, and kissed her soundly.

At first she was too stunned to think clearly, let alone react. Then came confusion, followed by elation (hey, it wasn't everyday she had hot males pouncing on her in the middle of the street), followed by more confusion, and finally discomfort.

Still, she wasn't sure what it was, but there was something small niggling in the back of her brain that kept her from enjoying the kiss as she should. After all, she enjoyed the youkai's company. He was kind, gentle, and funny. Okay, so maybe he was a bit arrogant and dense, but no one was perfect after all, right?

Maybe it was just because he was a Tetsudai. A Shrine prostitute wasn't supposed to kiss, was he? Did it matter if it was in or out of session? Were they even allowed to be doing this?

But if that were the issue then why hadn't she minded Inuyasha's kiss?

She broke away from him slowly and pushed him off from her, unaware that they had become so thoroughly entangled around each other. Kouga looked down at her, the smug glint in his eyes rapidly changing to confusion when she refused to look him in the face.

Hesitantly he reached for her again. "Kagome…"

"I…" she cut him off. "I…why did you kiss me?"

He blinked. Wasn't that obvious? "Well because I – "

She interrupted him again, giving him a falsely large smile that even _he_ didn't believe for a moment. "I'm suddenly really tired. Do you think we could leave now?"

Stunned, he nodded silently at her, following in her wake as she led them from the grounds, not daring to move beside her and take her hand.

He was stumped. _What on earth just happened?_

* * *

Night came too quickly for Kagome's taste. Her head was still swirling with everything that had gone on between her and Kouga during the last three days and she was completely at a loss. The prospect of seeing him when she felt so unsettled wasn't a particularly pleasant one.

Still, she was not a coward and certainly wouldn't avoid a friend over something as inane as a case of jittery nerves. She marched her way to his room, not bothering to buzz as she entered. She figured once a guy proposes to you that sweeps away any need for formality.

She both internally winced and sighed with relief at the way his face brightened as she appeared. He really was just too sweet and she could only hope to get a husband so kind. So then why was that thing in the back of her mind still making her uneasy? Was this awkwardness really just a result of his being a Tetsudai?

He stood from his position on the bed and reached for her, enveloping her in his arms and she melted against him, soaking in the sense of familiar security she somehow found in him. Framing her face in his hands he brought his lips down on hers very faintly, not demanding or pushing, as if he were afraid she'd bolt at any moment.

Kagome knew he may be arrogant, but he really did care for her.

Sensing she didn't pull back Kouga immediately deepened the kiss, pressing her firmly against him, and all sense of euphoria left her. She fought against a vague sense of rising panic – she refused to give into it when she could see no cause for it.

After all, this was _Kouga_ for cripes sake! They were able to joke around like they'd known each other for ages. She was comfortable around him like she would be around an old friend or even her own brother, so what was the problem?

A dark light went off in her head. _Did I just say…brother?_

So if Kouga was like a brother then did that mean it was like…kissing a brother? _Kissing a brother! Ewww… Oh my gosh, Kissing Souta! Kissing SOUTA! KISSING SOUTA!_

Kagome pulled back on a shocked gasp which Kouga misinterpreted as excitement and took the opportunity to move his mouth to her throat. She fought to keep herself under control under the new revelation. There was no use in panicking – she was already here and needed to go through with her appointment or risk wasting good money and letting down her family, not to mention utterly hurting the poor youkai who was … currently … taking off her shirt.

_Oh my goodness… _

She took a few deep, calming breaths. It was simple enough – all she had to do was _not_ think of Souta and she'd be fine. But damn if that wasn't like telling somebody to not itch at a mosquito bite – it only made it worse. Now all she _could_ think about was her little brother. She was sure that she was going to receive some ugly mental scarring from this moment.

Her mind raced as Kouga lowered her onto the bed; she needed something else to think about! Anything!

She tried oden, a basket full of kittens, Kazuma falling on his face in front of everyone, rainbows, the most romantic scene from her favorite movie…_anything_ that made her happy. _Nothing_ worked.

Her breath was coming in shaky pants now and she had to marshal all her will to keep from shoving Kouga off her. Her hands were trembling and she fisted them at her sides to hide the movement from him. There had to be something…

Then she thought of _him_. Her mind was filled with long silver hair and gruff words and before she could help it she found herself responding. Her fingers raked against his back and she arched up into him. He groaned in pleasure at her advances and she instantly froze, horrified.

If she hadn't been paralyzed she would've curled up into herself. She had just thought about one man while she was with another. How could she _do_ something like that? What did that make her, a whore?

Kagome bit back a sob, glad it was caught up in the rest of the noises they were making in the room and Kouga didn't take any particular notice.

She wasn't quite sure what word would describe her now; she just knew she felt dirty, like the slimiest person to ever walk the face of the earth. She could only pray that the night be over quickly and that Kouga would forgive her for her errant thoughts and for the fact that she couldn't ever see him again like this.

* * *

Kouga, much to Kagome's surprise – and chagrin – only looked the slightest bit fazed when she announced she would be finding another Tetsudai for the following night. It was evident by the confident countenance that appeared moments after his dismissal that he wasn't giving up. On the contrary, he was still dead set on claiming her as his own and was sure this would only be a temporary set back.

He insisted that they continue to meet during the day and while at first Kagome declined he pressed so hard that eventually she gave in. After all, she did still see him as a friend and it would be nice to have something to do during the daytime other than study her dusty library books or stare at the wall to make faces and shapes out of the different textures.

Ultimately they departed on good terms: Kouga determined as ever and Kagome viciously sick to her stomach.

The next two nights she tried as hard as she could to immerse herself in the new Tetsudai she chose each session but the same queasy feeling stole over her every time they touched her. She couldn't shake the feeling of filth that surrounded her, threatening to bury her until she suffocated.

She couldn't understand what was happening; it was too much for her to try to deal with and she could not think of a single person she could talk to about it. Except one. And try as she might she found it impossible to try and avoid it, and _him_.

That was how she found herself here now, in the very last place she was supposed to be. Inuyasha's door loomed in front of her, more intimidating than anything she'd ever seen before.

Taking a deep breath she steeled herself and then slowly raised her hand to ring.

* * *

**A/N: **Yes, I know, sad times for all the InuKag pullers out there, but I promise our cute little hanyou will be back and all over the next chapter. Our heroine couldn't keep away for long I assure you ^_-

And again thanks to seren1tystar and Akihana for keeping me in line here - otherwise I assure you all you'd have gotten a crappier version of this chapter


	8. Supplication

Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler

* * *

**Chapter 8: Supplication**  
- To make an earnest petition, a humble entreaty to; beseech  
- A humble request for help from someone in authority  
- The act of communicating with a deity

* * *

Kagome paused in front of Inuyasha's door, mentally pumping herself up to re-engage with someone she was supposed to have cut contact with eight days prior. She knew she could get in trouble or she could be getting him into trouble but at the moment she just couldn't bring herself to care. She absolutely _had_ to talk to someone or she might go insane and he was the only one she could broach the subject with.

Breathing in deeply and steeling herself, she raised her hand to the buzzer, freezing when the door was suddenly yanked open in front of her before she'd even had the chance to press the button. She blinked, stepping back to allow the woman standing in the doorway to pass out into the hall. She received a small, curt nod in thanks before the woman disappeared around a corner, Kagome's eyes following her the whole time.

She'd expected any of Inuyasha's other clients to look evil but this one certainly didn't. In fact she was wearing miko garb, the same nettle as that from the adjoining healing shrine if she wasn't mistaken. Also her face had been drawn in some kind of overwhelming sorrow she didn't understand but her features still showed a calm sort of beauty that made Kagome think she wouldn't bloody up a hanyou, _her_ hanyou she thought with a sudden pang of jealousy, for no reason.

A cough sounded behind her and she whirled to see Inuyasha in the doorway staring at her like he was seeing a ghost. He looked slightly unsure of himself and more than a little confused, as if he didn't know what to do with the situation. Kagome herself was unprepared for the sensations that battered inside her at the sight of him again, bringing to the forefront of her thoughts all the multitude of times he'd flashed through her mind the past few days, though her treacherous mind insisted on commenting on how much better he looked in person.

She felt a blush rising on her face at the memories and was instantly assailed by nausea as she recalled just _what_ she'd been doing at the time some of those thoughts had popped into her head. She crossed her arms in front of her body in an attempt to keep the filth in, to hide it from Inuyasha's burning eyes.

He was still staring at her, unmoving, and she knew she had to make the first move. She opened her mouth but something entirely different rushed out of her mouth when she noticed there was no blood anywhere to be seen, that he was completely unharmed by the woman who'd just left.

She flew to him, hands stopping just short of reaching his chest, not sure if her touch was welcome or what kind of reaction it would incite. His eyes were boring into her and she crossed her arms back in front of her, desiring nothing more than to open herself to him but desperate to keep the dark corners of her mind hidden. Still, she knew she couldn't have one without the other and she squared her shoulders for what she had to say.

"Spit it out Kagome, I don't have much time."

Her heart sunk a little bit at his words. "Another appointment?"

He nodded. "Yeah, Kikyou should be back any minute."

She looked at him appraisingly. "I thought you said I was the only client who hadn't maimed you?"

"Kagome…" he growled warningly.

"All right, all right," she huffed. "I just…really need to talk to you. About a lot of things."

He was concerned at the range of emotions that flickered across her face, all of which were negative. She seemed different than when he'd last seen her; she was drained, like a portion of her energy and magnetism had been leeched right out of her. Still, if he was seen talking with in front of his room in the middle of the night…

"I don't have time for this right now." He had to stop himself from growling as she winced. He knew he was being an ass but with his station in the Shrine it might come down to her sentiments or his neck, and as much as he liked her he still liked himself better.

For her part Kagome was fighting to keep herself from panicking. She was a smart girl, she knew what he was doing. He'd done some of the kindest things for her anyone ever had and the way he was acting now didn't match up. He had to be protecting himself, against what she didn't know but could only guess had to do with her presence threatening the security of his position in the Shrine.

_Oh no, am I putting him in danger just by talking to him?_

Even still knowing this, she couldn't assuage the niggling doubt that the reason he was really being gruff with her was because he saw _it_, that he knew how she had changed into this hideous mass of guilt, could smell the stench of it rolling off her and wanted nothing to do with it. Not that she'd be able to blame him.

Normally she'd let it go at that – she didn't want to be a bother and she certainly didn't want to place him in danger, but this was something she had to get off her chest or she'd go crazy trying to figure out on her own how to still function normally. He could decide for himself after that.

"I know you don't have time right now, what with you having another appointment and all," she said, the second part spoken more snidely than she'd intended to as she could tell by the surprise on Inuyasha's face. She took a second to collect herself.

"I need to speak with you though. I'd like to as soon as possible but I know that you're the one who's working here. I'll meet you whenever and wherever you like but I just really need your help. Please?"

Kagome looked up at him with pleading eyes and he knew he couldn't deny her anything, not after all she'd done for him.

Inuyasha raked a hand through his hair, mussing it even more than his earlier exertions already had. "Keh, fine woman, I'll meet you."

He leaned back to where he could see behind the door, glancing at the clock. "I should be able to get out of here in a couple hours. Do you want to meet then, or – " He cut off when he saw her nodding her head vigorously. He was going to suggest they meet later in the day but he could see she was anxious to get on with it. It wasn't like he really needed the extra sleep that much anyhow, especially not after an easy night like this one.

"Okay, 6 a.m. it is then. Where? Obviously it can't be anywhere too public." He crossed his arms and leaned against the doorpost in a show of being at ease but she could see him glancing down the hall surreptitiously.

"Could you meet me at my apartment? I know you don't typically leave the Shrine but it's close and we wouldn't have to worry about anyone seeing us together there."

Kagome missed the almost imperceptible flinch as Inuyasha misinterpreted her words, thinking she'd rather not be seen with his pathetic hanyou ass. He wasn't sure why it affected him so much, after all he'd gotten the same treatment his whole life, but he suddenly turned angry and determined to prove he could take any challenge she threw his way, his security outside the Shrine grounds be damned!

"Fine," he bit off, "where's the place at?"

She rattled off the directions, a mixture of trepidations and relief flooding her system.

He waved her off gruffly, looking anxiously down the hall where they could hear footsteps. "Now get out of here. I'll see you at 6."

Bowing in thanks, Kagome turned and ran down the corridor.

* * *

Inuyasha landed in front of apartment 305 with a bang, throwing open the door before Kagome had any chance of answering. It was a good thing it had been unlocked or Inuyasha, in his haste to get out of the vulnerable outdoors, very well might have broken through it.

Kagome spun at the loud sound and intrusion, barely managing to keep her balance amidst the tangle of blankets she had wrapped around her shoulders like a cloak. She stared wide-eyed at him, surprised at his sudden appearance and unsure of herself. She'd been sitting huddled in the middle of her bed, pondering in her mind what she would say to Inuyasha, how she could put her thoughts into form, but nothing seemed right and words failed her. Her time had been all for waste as she still had no idea what to say to the hanyou about why she'd called him here, despite the heaviness in her heart and body.

Choosing action when words failed, she strode over the door, locking it soundly behind the slightly winded hanyou.

_Did he run all the way here?_ She wondered. Looking closely at him, the tousled hair, the rapid rise and fall of his chest, the scowl on his reddened face, she figured he must have and felt poorly for asking him to risk his own safety just for her sanity of mind. She truly was a selfish person.

Double checking the blinds to see they were tightly shut she went back to the bed to sit huddled in the mass of blankets and sheets. She stewed in the semi-darkness of the room, the kitchen light the only illumination. Inuyasha did not like where this was going, not one bit if he had to judge by her mannerisms and mood.

Considering he had neither the experience nor the patience to deal with something like this he figured it best to get things moving quickly.

"So am I supposed to wrap myself in blankets huddle in some corner too or was there some other reason you asked me here?" Mentally he winced. Not the smoothest intro ever, but what else was he supposed to say to a girl feigning hypothermia?

She sidled over on the bed a little bit, but whether in invitation for him to sit or in effort to get further away he wasn't sure, so for the time being he held his ground.

"Am I dirty?" she asked suddenly. Inuyasha was so thrown by the question that he started tentatively sniffing at the air, wondering if her multiple layers were a futile attempt to keep in any proof of a lack of proper bathing habits.

"I mean," she continued, thankfully oblivious to his misinterpretation, "what I'm doing is normal right? Decent, admirable even. I've come to a prestigious Shrine to worship the kami and bring blessings to my family, to our small little shrine we call a home. I should feel honored for such a position where I'm able to do so much for those closest to me…"

"I…I mean," she began again, clearly still lost and confused in her thinking, "my grandfather was supposed to be retired by now and living easy, his son supporting him in his old age, but dad was killed too early…too early. He's done so much for my mom, for all of us, despite how weird he can be sometimes."

She raised her eyes from her cocoon to look directly at him, her gaze piercing, and he was surprised to see a faint sheen swimming on the surface. "What I'm doing is just what any good daughter and granddaughter would do. That's right, isn't it?"

When she paused he realized she truly meant for him to answer this time and he slowly nodded his head, perplexed by the difference in her words and demeanor and wondering where she was leading with this.

She lowered her head back down, afraid to look at him, and pulled the blankets away from her legs so that she could hide her face between her upraised knees. "Then why do I feel so dirty?" she whispered.

Inuyasha sat down on the bed, shocked.

He started to say something but she cut him off with a shake of her head.

"I feel their fingers scrambling at me, the coldness behind the touch, and I wonder if I'm any different. After all I did the same thing," she admitted.

Crossing his arms he scoffed at the sentiment. "Keh, I don't know what you're going on about wench. That's what everyone does, on both sides. It can't really be helped, it's just the nature of the beast. It's what you came here for, isn't it? Just because you can now see the ugly side and know it's not all pretty ain't no reason to get your knickers in a twist."

She didn't move. If anything she sunk deeper inside herself. "But you don't know what I did," she whispered.

He glared at her, wondering what on earth she could have herself convinced was so bad. "What did you do?"

"I thought about one man while with another. I'm no better than a whore."

An irrational surge of anger exploded through him and he fought hard to keep himself in one place. "Was it me?" he finally ground out and Kagome would have to have been deaf to not hear the agitation in his voice.

She kept quiet, unsure of which way he meant the question and unwilling to give anything away. There was nothing that could convince her to ever tell him that yes, it _was _him, that she'd thought of _him_ while with Kouga and another of the Tetsudai she'd visited after the youkai, and hadn't been able to assuage the guilt ever since.

Inuyasha took her silence in the worst possible way, jumping to all sorts of conclusions, and pushed his palms flat on either side of his head to fight against the invading images of who else she had thought about while with him. Was that why she'd been kind? Was that why she'd been able to treat him with some semblance of normalcy?

"Was it me?" he demanded again, yelling this time and shocking Kagome enough that she raised her head from its hiding place, though she still stared straight ahead and away from him.

Taking a deep breath she knew she wouldn't be able to get out of this and decided to go for the safer of the two directions in such a loaded question. "No, Inuyasha, I didn't think of someone else with you." _How could I, _she added quietly to herself, _I didn't know anything else, didn't have any basis for comparison._ She knew she couldn't say that out loud though as it would give her away.

He looked quickly away to hide the sense of relief he felt flooding through him at her answer. He was tempted to turn on her and find out exactly who she _had_ been with and who she'd been thinking of, but he knew that if he thought the _conversation_ was uncomfortable there was _no way _he'd be able to handle her if he ended up pushing her to tears. She looked close enough to it already.

Kagome was thinking along the same lines and prayed fervently he'd let the subject drop.

"I've been showering four times a day. I just can't seem to get clean enough."

Inuyasha watched her shoulders droop again as she curled back on herself. This girl was just too dense for her own good. He crawled over slowly, so as not to startle her, and grabbed her chin in his right hand, forcing her face to turn toward him.

Quietly he asked her, "Did I make you feel dirty?"

Even then she still kept her eyes averted but he was not to be outdone. He may be a filthy half-breed, he may have contributed to this problem, but she had come to _him_; that had to mean something and he wasn't about to let her get out of it now. Keeping his grip tight on her he crouched in front of her until there were only a few inches between their faces and she didn't have anywhere to look but at him.

"Don't make me repeat myself Kagome," his breath hot on her face, his voice gravelly. "Did I make you feel dirty?"

From somewhere deep inside her anger bubbled up at the way he was dominating the situation. This was _her_ problem, _her_ conversation, _she_ was the one who asked _him_ here. Where did he get off trying to get her to say things she didn't want to?

"What am I supposed to say, Inuyasha? How can you expect me to answer honestly when you're two inches from my face?" He blinked. This wasn't what was supposed to happen.

"What if I said yes, huh? How could I say it with you staring at me like that?" She pushed at his chest and he gave, rolling off the bed until he stood looking down at her, glaring in mixed anger and confusion.

How the hell had this managed to turn into her getting mad at him? "Well I wouldn't have to do that if you'd look at me. What else do you expect me to do?"

The two seethed in silence, Inuyasha scared of unwittingly setting her off again, Kagome afraid of what she had to say.

"No," she finally said quietly, his ears twitching toward her in agitation.

"No, what?!" he snapped.

Kagome turned her nose up and looked away. Was he really clueless or was this just a game to drag the words out of her mouth. Fine, have it his way.

When they came out the words seem bitten from her mouth. "You didn't make me feel dirty, alright?"

"Then it's not your problem."

She whirled on him, eyes wide. How on earth had he reached that conclusion? Luckily he presupposed her question and quickly explained.

"If you didn't feel that way with each and every guy then it must be their fault. They – _we_," he gulped, "were the only thing that changed in each situation, not you." He saw the fight leaving her and moved back over to her side, touching one clawed finger gently to her shoulder. "You just got stuck with a lot of bastards, Kagome."

She was about to contradict him and mention that Kouga had been nice but decided against it as she wanted to avoid having to explain _why_ she'd been so uncomfortable with him if he'd been kind. As understanding as Inuyasha was being it was still best to avoid that topic altogether.

"So no," he continued in that same gentle tone she'd never heard from him before, "I don't think that makes you a whore."

She sniffled, resenting his touch and how it was breaking down her defensive anger. "Even though I betrayed one of the guys I was with?" Despite the fact that she'd also thought of the silver haired hanyou in front of her while with one of the other Tetsudai and had felt dirtier as a result, she didn't feel treacherous for it because she'd had no real connection with him like she had with Kouga. For him though...

Inuyasha was quiet a moment and Kagome feared the worst but he continued stroking the back of that single finger down her shoulder to her elbow and back again and she had to resist the sudden desire to pull the blankets back up around her as a shield.

"Did you think of the other man because the one you were with was boring or because you needed to take your mind away?" His question caught her off guard; she'd never thought of it in that light before and wondered again about the kind of life he was forced to live that gave him such insight into a situation like this.

It was a simple answer for her. "I…I couldn't handle the situation I was in." She felt his grip tighten and the bare beginnings of a growl and instantly realized how else her words could be taken. "No, no, I didn't mean it like that. The guy I was with was nice enough I just … like you said, I needed to take my mind away."

"There you go then. A lot of people do it at need, hell I've even done it myself recently." He immediately clenched his teeth together and looked away, appalled at what he'd just unwittingly revealed.

Kagome turned slowly, Inuyasha's hand dropping from her as she did so. He made to move away but she grabbed his sleeve and held him still, more from his reluctance to pull her rudely from the bed than from any real strength she had. "Inuyasha, are you…blushing?"

"Keh, stupid woman," he turned around to yell in her face, "what would make you think that?" As she watched, his face turned an even brighter hue of red and she couldn't suppress the giggle that made its way from her mouth.

"What's so funny?!" he all but bellowed.

Her mirth overflowed until she was holding her other arm against her front to restrain her belly laughs. "You _are_ blushing," she said, moving her hand from her stomach to prod his burning cheek for emphasis.

"Am not," he replied, pouting like a little boy and moving away from her. Kagome was too busy being thrilled about the fact that he could still act like a kid to care that he had chosen one of childhood's more annoying mannerisms to mimic. Of course, she had her own immature tendencies as well and couldn't let an opening like this pass her by. She stood up on the bed, intent to chase him around the room until he showed her his blazing red face again.

For his part, Inuyasha was by no means stupid, and knowing immediately what she was going to do, backed away from the bed. She lunged for him but neglected to take into account the blankets still wrapped around the lower half of her body, realizing too late that she was going to crash quite spectacularly onto the floor.

Inuyasha leaped from where he was crouching behind her desk chair half-way across the room, catching her and twisting backwards until he landed the both of them on the bed.

He froze.

There was nothing particularly provocative about the position they were in; he was on his back with Kagome kneeling to one side, leaning over him. Their bodies weren't touching anywhere except where he had his hands on her waist and one of hers on his shoulder. Their faces had certainly been much closer earlier in the night, yet neither could deny the sudden intimacy of the moment.

She wanted nothing more than to allow herself to fall to him, to bury her head in his shoulder and never look up again. Their breathing grew shallower and the space between them closed by a scant inch before Kagome seemed to wake up. With a wrench she tore herself away, breaking the moment, and scooted away to the head of the bed, allowing her back to lean against the wall as she clutched a pillow to her. Now that the momentary lightness was gone she felt reality crashing back in on her.

She couldn't ask him, not yet; she still needed more time. So instead she delayed.

"Who was that woman with you tonight?" She tried to sound as casual and uninterested as possible.

Inuyasha was still fighting the delicious sensations her touch evoked, no matter how short the moment had been, and was still catching up with the fact that she'd moved away from him when she spoke. He was caught off guard by the sudden change in subject, and the shift caused his hackles to rise slightly. He wasn't sure why but something was warning him to tread carefully here. "Kikyou?"

She nodded.

"She's one of the high miko at the healing shrine attached to ours."

Kagome looked at him expectantly and he knew she wouldn't let him get away with so little information. "I assume by your lack of proper clothing that you'd already had one session before I arrived to speak with you tonight." Obviously he'd been right. "I believe you once told me I was the only one who hadn't bloodied you up, but you seem perfectly alright to me." Her voice pitched higher and Inuyasha wasn't able to make out what that meant. Little did he know she was warring within herself, blasting herself for the tiny amount of jealousy she was feeling and working to convince herself that this was actually the best news she could hope for.

With a weary sigh he continued. "We've had an…agreement for a while. The first time we met was after one of my worst sessions and the establishment wasn't sure I was going to make it. By now they know I'll heal just fine, or they just don't give a shit anymore, but since that was one of the first times I needed such severe care they called her over from the healing section to _insure their assets,_" he spit with disgust.

"After that she'd come over every now and again. We use each other to offer a tiny bit of solace. It's nothing too special, but it's a nice respite from the rest. Kikyou needs it too, I think, though I'm still not entirely sure why. She's a very sad person, never wanted to be a miko, but was born into it and now honor bound to follow a path she doesn't desire. She probably only uses me because I _don't _remind her of what she's lost, the whole family package with the husband and 2.5 kids and white picket fence. Any of the human Tetsudai would make her think about it too much. Either she feels as shitty as I do or she likes being around someone she knows has it worse than she does. Hell, I don't really care what she uses me for as long as it gets me away from my usual nut-jobs for a night or two."

"Oh, Inuyasha…" she breathed, wishing for the millionth time that she wasn't such an impotent force against the fate that caused him such a horrid, cheerless life.

"It's not like I can really complain," he began defensively, eying her with something akin to horror at the growing brightness of her eyes, "not when I use her too."

Kagome cracked a smile, realizing he was uncomfortable. Besides, he was just too cute when cowering like a disgusted ten-year old. "That's too bad. And here I thought I'd single-handedly started a new movement to get you a clientele of decent women. So disappointing." She shook her head slowly in mock dismay.

Caught up as she was by his words she was more distracted by her own reaction to them. At first she'd been appalled to find herself jealous of the other 'nice' woman and was relieved when the feelings began to dissipate with his story, but she wasn't prepared for the compounded sense of disappointment that flooded her. As selfish as she was feeling at the moment she knew that she truly did wish that as long as he had to have clients that they were of the less violent variety than his current cache. While she may be pouting on the inside, curled up next to her inner-child, she knew it would be better for him and was sad to see that she _hadn't_ actually started a 'hanyou-are-hot-and-not-for-beating' club.

Inuyasha watched as she fidgeted with the pillow in her lap, getting anxious himself. He'd been away from the Shrine for too long. He was paranoid by nature but this time he wasn't afraid solely for himself; he was afraid of what would happen to Kagome if he were found with her, if she'd be considered an accomplice or _hanyou-lover_. While she might not get any overt punishment she'd be labeled for life and be at the least a social pariah.

"There's something else, isn't there." Kagome winced. She wasn't looking forward to asking this of him and she knew it was an incredibly selfish request but she knew she had to try. She'd put off asking him for long enough but she couldn't do that forever, _unfortunately_, her mind griped.

"Inuyasha, I need to ask a huge favor of you." He immediately stiffened and while she noticed there was nothing she could do about it at the moment. "I don't want to ask you but I can't think of anything else to do."

He grumbled to himself, wondering how he was going to get used this time.

"I don't want to go back to finish off my month here in a way that makes me feel so disgusting and so…so _unworthy_. I can't stand it and I already want to scrub myself clean again." Noticing her slightly damp hair from when she must have had another shower just recently, he took that as a bad sign. "But at the same time I have my obligation to my family and the honor of our shrine. I've been sent here for 28 days and I _will_ worship the kami each night, otherwise how could I show my face back home when I didn't fulfill my duty just because I didn't like the _feel_ of it?

"I'm not quite _that_ selfish, but pretty close to it." No, she wasn't selfish enough to risk the kami's anger on her family, just enough to ask something that was potentially troublesome, perhaps even dangerous, of someone she barely knew but had shown her nothing but kindness.

She took a deep breath and looked him straight in the eye. "I want to know if you'll be my Tetsudai the remaining nights."

He immediately started waving his hands and opened his mouth to refuse but she cut him off.

"I know we can't at the Shrine and if you think it's too dangerous even here in my apartment then I won't ask you to risk yourself like that. But as you said, you're the only one that didn't make me feel dirty. I don't know how feeling like a whore can even be said to worship any of the spirits; I'm sure they don't revel in such a feeling and would be much happier if their followers didn't feel appalled any time they finished such a practice that is meant to be in praise of and supplication to those beings that grant blessings." She paused a moment to catch her breath after her increasingly rushed rant.

"You could come here each day and I'd pay you the same what I'd be paying to the Shrine – plus this way you would actually _see_ some of the money instead of it all feeding the pockets of someone else." He was momentarily surprised that she'd caught on to the fact that he didn't get normal pay like all the other Tetsudai, but then again by looking around his sparse room and bare necessities it didn't take a genius to figure it out.

Kagome was getting worried. He'd been silent for far too long, his face giving away nothing. "I would really appreciate if you would do this for me but I don't want to get you in trouble. I'm not sure what all your circumstances are and what you are and are not allowed to do," she looked disgusted, "and I certainly do not want to be the one responsible for putting you in danger in any way. Please know I would never intentionally do that."

Inuyasha sat still in contemplation, the moment dragging out and frazzling Kagome's nerves. "You were already with someone tonight, right?" He spoke slowly, forming the words carefully on his tongue.

"Yes, I was," she replied and he noted the way she pulled the blankets back up around her, hugging herself tightly.

"That means you have four days left." It wasn't even a question, just a statement, pure and simple, and Kagome didn't even think to wonder why he remembered _exactly_ when she would be leaving.

"Fine," he said, standing up, "I'll come."

She jumped up, ecstatic. She hadn't really had much hope he'd agree, no matter how much she wished it, and she was momentarily stunned, at least until she saw him heading for the door. "Wait!" she yelled. "Where are you going?"

He turned and looked at her like she was stupid. "We made our agreement so now I'm going to go."

She knelt from her spot on the bed, staring at him beseechingly. "Please don't go yet. I just…I…" After explaining so many things that evening she'd lost her words. Anyhow how could she describe what she was feeling at the moment when she wasn't even sure herself. She just knew she didn't want him to go. "Please, I don't want to be alone. Just stay until I fall asleep? It'll only be another hour or less so it won't make much difference, right?" The stress had riled up her insomnia a bit lately but she was now exhausted from lack of sleep the previous nights so hopefully it wouldn't take too long.

He glared at her skeptically.

"I promise I'll make you dinner every night," she declared, her voice rising in hope even though she doubted the pathetic attempt at bribery would work.

Heaving a long suffering sigh he marched over to her and sat on the very edge of the bed, relaxing his head back against the headboard and closing his eyes. "Keh, better be some pretty good food, woman."

Kagome beamed at him, amazed at how much he was giving to her especially considering how demanding she was being. He growled, "I thought you were going to sleep."

She couldn't wipe the smile from her face as she curled up on the other side of the bed, awash in the unexplained security of having him nearby.

When she woke in the morning he was gone but she found she didn't mind at all, not with the prospect of seeing him late that night or the following morning. Humming to herself she rambled around her apartment, cleaning, showering, getting dressed, making sure all her library books were well hidden, then finally grabbing her keys and heading out the door. She had grocery shopping to do.

* * *

**A/N: **If you want to follow my run around you can catch me on livejournal since I actually write and don't just skulk now. I'm under FlameTwirler (surprising, I know) or you can follow the link in my profile.

**Notes:**

I meant to address this issue last chapter but forgot: No offense to Buddhism – this is _not_ a representation of Buddhism as it currently exists. This is an alternate reality that had to adapt itself to a hugely different set of circumstances.

This story is snowballing out of control. It was supposed to be about 8 chapters, it's probably now going to be around 15 because, gasp, there's actual plot now! And it's going to get more complicated as we go on, of course… What good story doesn't like complications?

Just because I know someone will ask: no Kikyou hating here, so don't expect me to turn her into a bitter, remorseless villain – and she's a minor role

Thanks again to my betas who whip me into shape and let me know I might actually be missed if I fell off the face of the planet…despite how round it is…shut up.

* * *

Original posting: March 29, 2007


	9. Stupefaction

Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler

* * *

**Chapter 9:** **Stupefaction**

- The act or an instance of stupefying; the state of being stupefied.  
- Great astonishment or consternation.

* * *

The next morning Inuyasha showed up at her door promptly at 6 a.m. again and Kagome could tell from the lack of mutilation showing on his body that he must have been with Kikyou again. She refused to contemplate the subject any further because she was still torn dreadfully between her increasing sense of jealousy and gratefulness to the woman for keeping him safe for the night. Part of her had hoped that he'd take the next four days off from work so that it could be something of a vacation for him but obviously that wasn't to be.

The first thing he'd done upon arriving was hop into the shower and stay there for a good half-hour, during which Kagome fell asleep. She'd tried, unsuccessfully, to catch up on her rest during the night since she wanted to be awake the entire time he was here. She wasn't entirely sure how long he'd stay, though she hoped it'd be all day as she couldn't see the draw of hanging around the Shrine any more than necessary, but she wasn't at all certain what his plans would be.

Still, _her_ plans for sleep had been fruitless as she couldn't calm her racing mind and eventually gave up and studied her books. Hence, when Inuyasha came out of the bathroom toweling his hair, steam streaming from the door, he smirked to find her sleeping on the table where the meal she'd made for him was already laid out.

He ate in silence, contemplating the silly ningen girl next to him. Part of him wondered why he was risking so much for her but the majority of his mind was busy planning what he was going to be doing for the next four days. Gently he roused her and proceeded to do such things to her on that table that she wasn't able to look at the piece of furniture again without bursting into a flaming blush.

The only complaint she had about the whole deal was how business he was. He stuck strictly to the one-hour time limit that was applied to all normal Shrine sessions which sometimes made her wish she hadn't opened her apartment so gratuitously to him. When she was there alone with him for hours on end, though one or both were typically sleeping for some portion of it, it took a tremendous amount of will power for her to not jump him. That was a problem she most definitely had not foreseen.

The second day of their agreement he arrived a little after noon, obviously still worn out and in some pain from his night's work. Kagome gently helped strip him and he headed straight to the shower, more grateful than he would admit for his free access to the amenity. It cleaned and purged so much better than what he typically had freedom to use at the Shrine, which usually consisted of no more than a sponge bath in his room.

When he got out she took the towel from him, urging him down onto the bed, and proceeded to dry his hair and body. Normally he wouldn't stand for this kind of coddling from anyone but he saw how unsettled she was; besides, he figured he may as well get something out of this agreement and a little pampering wasn't such a bad thing. When she pushed him flat on his back and began kissing each of his rapidly healing wounds the tears never stopped flowing from her eyes.

The following day he didn't even look at her as he made his way straight to the shower, shedding pieces of clothing on the way in his haste to get under the scalding water. Kagome reasoned it must have been an exceptionally bad session, the feeling reaffirmed when he came straight out of the shower and crawled into the bed behind her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her tightly against him. He was asleep within seconds and she just lay there a few moments more, brushing her fingers delicately along the intricate line of lacerations, bruises, and even burns she could see on his forearms. Pushing back against him, trying to offer him all the comfort she could, she followed him into oblivion.

* * *

Inuyasha glared at Kagome, not buying her story at all. One night he could understand, two were passable, but _three_ of only miming eating at dinner? He knew she needed the energy, _what with the workout I put her through everyday,_ he thought with an inward smirk. There was only so much he'd fall for lame excuses.

He'd hoped the trusty old "stare at her until she caves" method would prevail this time and he wouldn't need to start an argument but it seemed a more direct approach would be needed as she continued to pointedly ignore him.

"Kagome." No response was forthcoming as she shuffled her fork loudly against the nothingness that was on her plate. Of course he _could_ wait her out but the sound alone might drive him crazy.

He growled at her, "Kagome…"

She huffed a sigh and laid down her fork. She knew she'd been beaten but that still didn't mean she had to make it easy for him.

"Why aren't you eating?"

Grabbing the dejected fork she thrust it into the empty bowl in the middle of the table that she'd served them – though really just _him – _from. "Oh my, it seems there's nothing there for me to eat." Her voice carried a sickly falsetto that she quickly dropped much to his relief as it made him cringe. "Seems I made just the perfect amount then, ne?"

She grabbed her dishes and started to rise from the table but was prevented from doing so when his hand clamped around her forearm.

"Oh no you don't, not tonight. Why. Aren't. You. Eating?" he asked between gritted teeth, carefully enunciating each word in his growing frustration.

"I wasn't very hungry. A couple of bites were all I needed…"

He raised a supercilious eyebrow. "Try me again."

"No, really, I had a big lunch."

The eyebrow was still up and his grip hadn't let up at all. Still she was nothing if not his match in stubbornness and she was prepared to stand by her defenses, no matter how paltry they seemed now, until her stomach decided to turn traitor and let out a long, high squeak.

She didn't need to glance in a mirror to know that she had color rising on her cheeks. She did make the mistake though of taking the break in tension to look down at Inuyasha and saw the poorly concealed concern on his face, instantly knowing the jig was up.

"It's fine," she said softly down to him, "it's really not that big a deal."

This, however, had the opposite effect on him than what she'd expected and he snapped at her in anger, tackling her to the bed in one swift movement. "It's because of me, isn't it?"

Kagome couldn't do anything other than look away. She'd die before making such an admission but there was no way she could lie directly to his face.

"Tell me," he demanded again, shaking her slightly.

She was getting worried about how seriously he was taking this, about how he might twist it around in his head into some form of guilt. Some levity was definitely needed and poking him in the ribs sounded like a particularly marvelous idea.

He stared down at her with such a mix of confusion, frustration, and apoplexy that she couldn't help but grin widely at how cute he looked.

"Oh come off it, Inuyasha, it's not the end of the world if I skip a couple of meals. Worst thing that'll happen is I'll lose some of this." With one hand she pinched together as much flab and fat as she could on the underside of her other arm while simultaneously blowing out her cheeks, tucking her chin into her neck, and crossing her eyes.

Inuyasha fought well and hard but couldn't help the little snigger that escaped. She grinned cheekily up at him, proud of herself for getting "The mighty and angry hanyou-ness"TM to crack and smile.

"Besides, it's not your fault at all, it's mine." She continued under her breath, "Or rather it's the fault of over-priced leather shops and stupid rules and…"

"That's why?" he yelled, causing her to nearly jump out of her skin at the tremendous sound thrown directly into her face. Unfortunately it was taking her a while to constantly be on guard against his super-human sense of hearing – it really wasn't fair he'd been able to catch that traitorous mumble.

She wasn't sure what she'd been expecting and didn't know how to react to him so she fell back on her automatic default: she began to babble. "So you see, it's not faulted to either of us. It's all those dang capitalist shops here in this town. Yeah, they're the ones to blame."

He nipped at her chin and she immediately stopped her jabbering.

"You mean you spent all your money, _all of it_, on that stupid outfit?"

"Hey!" she shot back, attempting to strike the universal 'indignant woman' pose by putting her hands on her hips but having little success due to the position they were in. "It wasn't simply a _stupid outfit_, you jerk! It's what got me in there to see you that night! You should be grateful!"

"Yeah," he surprised her by grudgingly agreeing. Licking his lips and smiling, his eyes unfocused in a way that let her know he was recalling just exactly how she'd looked in that particular getup that night. She wasn't sure whether to be complimented, offended, or scandalized, and Inuyasha jumped on her confusion immediately, pressing his point.

"So if you have no money – "

"_Some_ money," she interrupted.

"_Very little _money," he corrected with a stern look, "then why am I eating while you're not?"

"I promised you that I'd cook for you if you stayed with me the first night here, remember?"

He sighed heavily and laid his head against her collarbone in an attempt to keep his temper from enflaming. "Well then what else do you have that you can cook with this _very little_ remaining money you have?"

She choked back a reply and resumed her game of playing "pretend you don't see or hear the pushy hanyou…who's sitting on top of you…" Shaking her head she decided the latter part of that certainly made it harder to play her game.

"Kagome!" She didn't like the playful edge she heard in that voice. It hinted at dire, dire, silly, fun, fruitful consequences if she didn't answer like the good little girl she was, and maybe even better ones if she did.

"Ramen."

"Excuse me?"

"I bought an entire case of ramen, enough to last me through the next ice age if need be."

"Not global warming though?"

She shook her head. "Nope, thought it through. We could tie the packs together to make a raft but then they'd turn into soup and the fish would have good food but we'd drown."

He contemplated for a moment then nodded. "Ramen it is then. Don't move." Before she even had a chance to blink he'd jumped over to the table, picked up the bowl of food she'd made him for dinner, then was back on top of her as if he'd never left.

"Now," he said, setting the bowl down on the desk beside her bed after fishing out a chunk of beef, "I think it's time we fed the chef and her poorly abused stomach." He must've known she'd put up a resistance as had already grabbed a hand in each of his. The piece of meat was firmly between his teeth and as he dipped his head he touched it to her mouth.

Kagome wasn't feeling particularly cooperative and at first she sealed her lips, but his proximity and the movement of him rubbing the cube back and forth repeatedly across the sensitive flesh had her giving in quickly. As soon as he sensed the slightest relaxation in her he used his tongue to transfer the food from his mouth to hers, lingering for a moment where their mouths connected to make sure she had it all in. When he leaned back Kagome wondered if she had the same slightly dazed look in her eyes.

"Are you chewing?" he asked over his shoulder as he reached for the bowl. Despite knowing he couldn't see her she nodded her head, slowly masticating the food as she watched his every move.

He knew there were other, perhaps even more effective ways to do what he was attempting, but after his first taste of her he couldn't help himself. And if he could pretend he really was only interested in her welfare, well then all the better. He took in a large mouthful of broth and before she could connect the thought with his actions his mouth was on her again, force feeding her the liquid, shoving his tongue inside her mouth and swirling it around to make sure her food was ready to be swallowed. He was prepared to plug her nose in case she was still going to be obstinate and refuse to eat but he didn't have to worry. As he leaned back he saw her attention was focused much more on him than on the food.

At this point his resistance was weak and when he saw the droplets of broth next to her mouth he had no other choice than to bend to her and suck them off, alternately using tongue and lips. Realizing what he was doing an instant too late he stilled then slowly rose from her again. He watched as she leisurely rolled her tongue around in her mouth as if feeling for vestiges of him still in there.

"Inuyasha, was that…"

"No," he answered, gradually shaking his head from side to side. There was no way that was a kiss in any form. He was just feeding her, that was all. The silly wench would have starved if he hadn't done it…

He stiffened when he felt her hand against his cheek. "Okay," she whispered, nuzzling up against him and kissing his neck.

"Kagome," he pulled her gently from him, "you need to eat first."

"Eat, eat, eat," she mocked. "That's all that's on your mind tonight, isn't it. What is it with you men?" She forestalled him when he opened his mouth. "No, don't answer that. Fine, I'll eat if that's what you want. I could really go for a big, fat, juicy piece of meat, you know? Maybe a thick, beefy chunk of sausage, something smooth that'll slide right down my throat." She batted her eyelashes at him, reveling in the way his adam's apple was bobbing and his throat was convulsing.

Pushing away from him she rose to get off the bed. "I think I have some in the freezer that'll cook up just fine if I – "

Inuyasha hauled her back to the bed and pinned her beneath him, ragged breath panting in her face. "Something you want, Inuyasha?"

He was bound and determined to spend the rest of the day wiping that smug smile off her face.

It wasn't until much later that day when the sun started going down that Inuyasha discovered that she really _did_ have sausage in her freezer.

* * *

The pair was rudely awoken from their short nap by the phone ringing and the voice mail clicking on. "Kagome, this is your mother, call me immediately when you hear this. I have some news for you."

She groaned; her mother's voice was the last she wished to hear when she was curled up warm and naked in bed with someone, still basking in a post-coital glow. Not only that but 'immediately' and 'news' didn't sound too promising.

Inuyasha rolled out of the bed, smirking down at her as she cracked a tongue-curling yawn, then kissed the top of her head and told her to go back to sleep as he made his way to the shower to get cleaned up before work. She decided that sounded like an absolutely splendid idea and resolved to call home when she woke up. Silently she begrudged him his hanyou heritage that gave him his extra stamina, not able to comprehend how he was on his feet when she wasn't entirely sure she could even feel hers.

Slinking into blissful slumber she only vaguely heard the door close when he left, yet despite being worn out she only slept for about three more hours and was able to call her mom back that night. Her nerves were on fire but she was instantly relieved when her mother picked up the phone and sounded happier than she had in months.

"Oh, Kagome, you will never guess what's happened! Business is booming – the shrine is doing magnificently! Whatever you're doing over there it must be pleasing the kamis to no end."

Kagome rolled her eyes, glad her mother wasn't there to see her reaction.

"So guess what?" _Wow_, Kagome decided. Things must be going really well for her mom to be speaking like this. "We're doing so splendidly that the only logical thing to do is extend the amount of time for your worship."

She went blank for a moment, completely blindsided by the turn of events, but when the cogs in her mind started working again she immediately began to protest but was cut off just as quickly.

"Now I know you have obligations here and such," she heard on the other end, "and we would never want to pull you away from that, but we'll do whatever we have to in order to accommodate you..."

When she heard the word 'we' Kagome immediately grew wary and frantic. She knew that even if she didn't feel obligated there was no way she'd be able to talk them out of it if both her mother and her grandfather were together against her.

"You can count on us to fix anything over here you need or send you anything. Just for another month…" Kagome's hearing faded as her mother trailed on and on about endless plans and preparations. Her world was spinning. She'd barely figured out how to mentally survive one month here, and now her family wanted _two_?

What on earth had she just gotten into?

Despite the decent amount of sleep she and Inuyasha had gotten during the day (and the sleep stored up from small cat naps the previous two days when she'd been bored out of her mind after declining Kouga's day-dates when he couldn't keep them 'friendly'), Kagome found that after he left and she spoke with her mother she just couldn't keep her eyes open. She lay on her bed, stunned by her family's proclamation, attempting to wrap her mind around any feasible options she had to complete the deed and _not_ simultaneously go insane, but she'd found the task incredibly daunting and mentally tasking and before she knew it she was deeply asleep. Unfortunately, her sleep wasn't very sound and she woke groggy and troubled but determined to face the new day, or still night rather in this case, straight on. She headed out the door to the one place she could think of to pound through her muddled thoughts and possibly make some headway.

* * *

Ryu's night was not going well. It was supposed to be a slow evening but three workers had called in sick, an entire bus of tourists had just pulled out front and spilled forth a gaggle of worshippers who hadn't made so much as a reservation, and he was worried sick about Inuyasha. After seeing the hanyou sneak out every day – and sighing a breath of relief upon seeing him slink back before dusk – he was tired and frazzled. As such he was in no mood to see an obviously distraught Kagome come striding through his doors on what was supposed to be her second to last day at the Shrine, especially not when he hadn't expected to see her again after they'd said their goodbyes three days prior when she'd informed him of her little agreement with his charge.

Before she could say a word he held out a hand, palm up, to forestall her. "Don't even start. I see this will take a while and I don't have time for it right now."

She chewed her lip and glared at him stonily, perturbed that he'd seen through her so well.

"I assume you're busy come daybreak?" He raised his eyebrow, knowing she understood the need for vagueness within the confines of the Shrine walls. When she nodded he sighed. "There's no way I'll be able to get out of here before then and I see you'll want to be meeting alone," he said, lowering his voice lest anyone become suspicious of just what _kind_ of meeting they'd be having.

He ran his finger down the ledger and grimaced at the name in the reserved spot next to Inuyasha's. "Unfortunately it looks like we won't have to worry about company until at least noon."

Kagome blanched but Ryu shook his head, warning her of where they were. "I'll meet you as soon as we get off here. How private?"

"Can we meet at your place?"

He shook his head in the negative. "Not a good idea," he indicated all the curious glances already directed their way. Some of the more regular workers and milling tetsudai on break recognized her and knew she hadn't been there for a couple days. "I know a place, a nice restaurant where they reserve private rooms in back. The owner's a friend of mine and reliable enough in this town." He tore off a piece of paper, hastily scribbled the establishment's information, then thrust it at her as he made a shooing motion with his hands.

"Now go," he almost cried, frustration lacing his voice, "I've got work to do." Not waiting for any response he turned over his shoulder and yelled at one of his helpers, calling two other people to come over.

Kagome slowly turned, suddenly realizing that she should leave the room as soon as possible as it could raise many uncomfortable questions if she were seen hanging around; many people were under the impression she had left town when she'd stopped coming to the Shrine and that was not a topic she felt like trying to talk her way around if anyone recognized her. She made a quick dash for the door, completely oblivious to the gleaming pair of cold eyes that followed her every movement from the shadows behind Ryu's office.

* * *

Kagome squirmed in her seat across from the middle aged man. Normally he was all set to cooperate and collaborate with her but now he was glaring at her like a wayward child and she couldn't escape the fact that it must be due to the fact that she was putting Inuyasha in danger. _Not like _you're_ doing much to protect him with how he's treated in the Shrine all the time,_ she thought snidely, but this didn't make her next request any easier.

"Look, I know you might think I'm just using Inuyasha for convenience or comfort, but I really do…care about him," she said, looking down at her hands in admission.

Ryu's eyes immediately softened. "I know," he relented. "You're a nice girl, Kagome, I just don't want to see either of you get hurt just because you don't know the gravity of the situation or are stuck in the 'It can't happen to me' mindset. You think what happens _inside_ the Shrine is bad? That's nothing compared to what could happen if he gets caught outside."

He saw her wince slightly, though she tried to hide it, and he knew that her feelings for his charge ran on more than just a superficial level. She might not know the entire story and so wasn't protecting him nearly as well as she could, but she wanted to spend time with him and treat him as an individual, a being that actually mattered, and that was something he wasn't able to get anywhere else.

"You are putting him in more danger than he's been in ages, but at the same time I haven't seen him this happy in years."

She raised her head and stared at him, eyes sheening from relief. "If you know he's so miserable, though, why do you keep him locked up there?"

Ryu threw up his hands in exasperation. "You think I would if I had a choice? I'd rather have him safe."

"I'd rather have him happy," she said defiantly.

Suddenly he started laughing, completely throwing Kagome off her stride. "What a pair we make, kiddo; two sides of the same coin who just want to help out a stubborn hanyou." He sobered quickly but still smiled ruefully. "I'd do anything I could for that boy, heck, I'd even adopt him if I thought it would afford him any more security than what he's got now."

'Adopt?' Kagome mouthed quietly.

"Did you know that I knew his parents?"

She shook her head mutely.

"First year I was working here his mom wound up pregnant. She was one of the tetsudai – a rich girl descended from princesses but her family had hit hard times and was close to bankruptcy. It was considered a very honorable profession then, even more than it is now, and so her family sent her here. She was a quiet little thing but always smiled, regardless of what was going on around her, but never so much as when Inuyasha's father was around. He was a demon lord, one of the last few true bloods. They fell in love immediately and I'm sure he would've stayed months, years, forever even if he could have, but he still had his business and an estate to take care of.

"Inu no Taisho left after his initial two week stint but came probably every other week to see her, going so far as to pay us her nightly fee when he was away in order to ensure she wasn't with anyone else. This was a flagrant disregard for Shrine policy, of course, but he was rich and powerful, two things that speak very loudly here. Every time he left and went home he was making arrangements in the household to accept a human, and their hanyou child."

Kagome looked at him sharply and he nodded in accession. "Yes, he not only knew she was pregnant and wanted to keep her, but he wanted their baby to be brought up in the public eye as a normal child, not shunned and kept in a locked room for no one to see."

"Then why didn't that happen?" she cried, the anguish plain in her voice.

He sighed solemnly, feeling every moment his age. "He died before he was able to finish preparation and take them home."

Shock filtered through her system, not so much for the words since she had always known that something dreadful must have occurred to produce such horrible circumstances for Inuyasha, but at her own reaction to such injustice and how she felt like her heart was being squeezed to dust and might whither at any moment. _Nothing_ in his life was fair.

"Izaoyi died when Inuyasha was six years old. Before that they had both been somewhat shielded as the lord's former household was afraid to go completely against his wishes, but they were not going to affirm any connection to someone they termed a 'bastard half-breed' after the lord's lover was gone. He hadn't spoken to any of them outright about his son, wanting to make sure he'd had all his preparations set first because he knew there'd be a fight against him."

They sat silently for a moment, Kagome soaking in the words of his story, Ryu reliving the past.

She broke the quiet timidly, asking, "How is it you know so much of Inuyasha's history?"

"I was the one who helped them break the rules." He cracked a soft sort of smirk that oddly reminded her of Inuyasha. "I was still young enough and green enough to not be overly-worried about losing my job and still believe that love conquered all and won out in the end. I was their go-between, helping Inu no Taisho get messages in when he wasn't here, making sure his money was getting into the right hands to pay off those who would create a fuss about Izaoyi's exclusivity, setting up the logistics on the human side for some of the paperwork he was creating, and so on.

"After he died I kept channeling the funds in the account he left for Izaoyi in such a circumstance – she was able to stay here with her son, where he would be afforded a modicum of safety, but she wasn't forced to work. Even though life was hard for him here and he had to endure the sneers and snide comments from the other tetsudai and workers he was with his mother and was able to walk around as he wished, even venture outside on rare occasions since he was in the care of his mother and they were still associated with the Shrine and so afforded a certain degree of respect."

He looked up at her from where he had been dazing off in recollection. "I don't suppose you know what happens to hanyou normally?" Kagome shook her head, knowing it must be absolutely horrid for this lifestyle to be a favorable alternative.

"Do you remember what used to happen when insanity ran in a family?"

She cringed, recalling some of the less savory aspects of the last year's senior history lessons. Up until about a century ago the 'crazy aunt' everyone joked about in their families was actually locked away as an embarrassment, never seeing anything aside from the one tiny room. If insanity was visible when the child was still a baby then it was killed out of hand.

She sat aghast at the implications. "You mean there are that many hanyou around, hidden?"

Nodding Ryu continued. "If you think his isolation is bad here consider what it would be if he were stuck in the same room and never allowed to leave and having few if any visitors – that is if he had a family willing put up with the 'embarrassment' and take on his continued care in the first place. Some who would otherwise be normal, capable members of society get a bit demented from the oppressive solitude." He sighed and pressed his hand to his forehead. "Still, it was never supposed to turn out this way – he wasn't supposed to end up how he is now but events just happened that I wasn't able to prevent."

Kagome gazed at him and could only guess at the heartbreak this man must endure watching someone he obviously cared much for go through such tortures while being powerless to do almost anything. She was overflowing with frustration after only a month and she didn't see how he could manage to it.

Suddenly she recalled something he had mentioned. "Why did you bring up adoption?"

He sighed heavily, almost wishing he hadn't brought that part up, never knowing where this head-strong girl might draw ideas from. "That was part of the paperwork that Inu no Taisho was trying to draw up; he instigated a system where a full member of either youkai or ningen society can 'claim' a hanyou member as his own and take full responsibility for him – still in the same vein as though the hanyou were insane or a child or otherwise incapable of caring for himself and interacting safely with society on a whole. It was very remedial and not what he wanted to be the ultimate situation for his son, but it was the quickest method he could think of to start things moving and provide at least the basics of a safety net for a hanyou. Both he and Izaoyi would have claimed Inuyasha and then he could have been a part of both societies and actually be about as close to free as he could be."

This brought Kagome up short and she sat up straighter. "Then why didn't his mother ever file the necessary paperwork? She had six full years to do so, right?" She was beginning to wonder just what kind of mother Inuyasha had.

"The same reason that I don't do so now. She knew what would happen when she died – the same thing that will happen when I die. Neither of us has any family left that would take on a hanyou charge and he would revert back to a ward of the state, a state that wouldn't want him mind you, and his situation would be worse than it is now."

She blinked at him, disbelieving.

"Yes, Kagome, it still can get worse for him."

"You would do so much for him? What would happen if you claimed him and then he broke a ningen law?"

"Then I would be tried at the same time he would and we would receive the same punishment, though we would thankfully be tried under ningen law and not the martial law that rules his life now. Yet if he were found guilty I'm sure we'd have the book thrown at us."

"You really care for him that much?" she choked out. Ryu nodded and if she hadn't been seated across from him she would have flung her arms about him. "Thank you, thank you so much. I know that must sound odd coming from me, when you've known him so much longer, but it just makes me so happy to know that he has someone like you in his life everyday, even if you do feel you aren't able to do much."

He swallowed past the emotion such a sentiment evoked, surprised that she'd been able to read his secret insecurity about feeling useless in the hanyou's life.

"Then I have something to ask you. You know where he's been the last three days, where he'll be later today once he recuperates from last night's activities, and you yourself said you've seen him happier in those days than you recall in recent memory, despite the danger." He raised a suspicious eyebrow and she paused, knowing he wouldn't like what she said next.

"My family requested another month."

"No," Ryu said forcefully, striking his hand through the air for emphasis, "absolutely not. I will not allow you to continue this cat and mouse game with him for another four weeks where he could potentially be caught on the street at any time."

"I know it's dangerous and I should hope that by now you know that I don't want to pose any sort of threat to Inuyasha." She grew excited as the force of her new idea took hold of her. "What if I took him home?"

He stared at her, dumbfounded. "What on earth do you mean by that? It could be lethal for him anywhere outside the Shrine walls and you want to take him that far away? To do what – lock him away in your room there? Even then he could still be found."

She started to argue, "You mentioned paperwork – "

"That paperwork is for _adoption_, for lack of a better term – a full-fledged, life-long commitment that will be carried on by your family and descendants after you die, not for some little one-month excursion to satisfy your sense of worth because you don't like the touch of the other tetsudai." She winced at his words and Ryu knew he might have been too harsh but he couldn't regret his words. Though he had spoken roughly he said what he believed; Kagome, for all her good intentions, wasn't looking at the big picture.

"I'm sorry to have to say it like that," he said to the girl, her eyes downcast, "but you're not thinking this through. Your momentary infatuation with heroism won't only cost you, but your family and friends as well. It makes a commitment in their names, not only yours, and that's not fair to anyone involved."

She paused for a moment, staring at her hands as she pondered her next words. "What if I _did_ do it though?" she breathed.

He turned on her, seething. "Don't even joke about such things, little girl. You have no idea the kind of life you'd be forced to live if you took on a hanyou husband and you know nothing about him outside the bedroom. I don't care if you think he's a great lover or that he's your friend, there is no way you have built up enough loyalty to someone in two weeks and four days to withstand the things that you would have to go through. Make sure you never even _breathe_ the existence of such an idea to Inuyasha," he hissed. "I won't have you confusing him or raising his hopes just to dash them when the going gets too tough for you."

Kagome glared back at him now, riled at his lack of faith in her. "Do you really think I'm that stupid? Of course I know all of that. I didn't know a thing about hanyou before I came here and I don't expect to be an expert overnight, especially with the severe lack of information to be found _anywhere,_" she growled, exasperated at her fruitless studies during many sleepless nights. "I care about Inuyasha and I would never do something so dim-witted. Besides, I plan to be in love when I get married and it has been far too short a time period for me to even begin to _know_ him, let alone love him. I was merely asking _what if_…" She sighed irritably, trying to reign in her temper.

"Please give me some credit," she continued. "I know he has no rights as a hanyou but he does have some as a tetsudai and that is why he remains in the Shrine. I also know that tetsudai are able to go out with clients in cases of extended visits or if the client is otherwise tied to a locale not within convenient distance from the Shrine."

He glanced at her askew, knowing the only time such a subject was typically brought up _after_ a worshipper had already come to the Shrine was typically by one of the demon tetsudai seeking a match. "Kouga?"

Kagome nodded, blushing. "Yes. He made me an offer."

"What was wrong that you refused?"

She looked away, biting her lip as she decided whether or not to tell him something she hadn't even confided in Inuyasha. "Promise you won't tell anyone, not a soul?"

"If you ask, then of course."

She sighed in resignation. "He reminded me of my brother."

Ryu looked puzzled. "What's so wrong with that? Even if your brother is annoying at least you know that you're comfortable with Kouga if he can make you reminisce of someone so close."

Kagome grimaced. "Even in bed?" She flushed at the admission.

"Ah," he mused, eyes widening. "Point taken."

They sat in silence for a moment, both making points for arguments in their heads, knowing the debate wasn't over just yet.

"Would it really be so bad if I took him home with me? I know you must have regulations that would protect him in such a happenstance in case one of his wackos needed him," She started.

"Yes, it would be bad. You would take him out of his cage, show him a taste of freedom and what the world could really be like, then throw him back here when you were done. He'd be the worse off for it, now knowing what it was he was missing."

"Throw him away?" She asked, appalled. "You make it sound like I treat him like refuse or something. No, I can't guarantee him a life of freedom – I don't know that anyone or any power could aside from the kamis themselves – but neither would I condemn him to a life of little to no joy. We have fun together, Ryu, _fun_. When was the last time that happened for him?" Glaring she crossed her arms over her chest, knowing she'd made a point he couldn't refute.

" I can't make it last forever but at least he'll have a respite from the hatred and derision thrown on him every night as he's beaten half to death. If nothing else maybe I can give his body a break to _really_ heal for a while so he's not forced into an early grave. He may be healing fine every night but do you think it can truly be healthy for him to be subjected to such torment on a daily basis and not take any permanent damage from it?"

He looked at her sad but determined. "If it were that simple Kagome then perhaps it might be possible, but it's more complicated than that. There are still just too many variables and too many risks."

Again he hated to say these things to such a sweet girl but the world she was trying to enter had no room for niceties or soft blows. "I know you think it would actually be good for him, but it would be good for you too and I think that's marring your perception right now. After all, it's oft said but still rings with truth – the road to hell is paved with good intentions." She drew back slightly in her chair and he was glad to know she was taking seriously what he had to say, actually pondering it and not just throwing it aside because she didn't want to hear it. It was just another thing that he knew drew both he and the distrustful hanyou to her.

"I know you wouldn't _mean_ to get him in trouble, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't happen. What would you do if someone saw you on the street and pulled a gun? Let me tell you that a cop wouldn't stop to hear your arguments before shooting someone so obviously wearing the markings of a hanyou."

She sniffed, refusing to show him how upset and angry he'd made her with his comments. "It comes down to the fact that you don't trust me Ryu. You don't think an 18 year old girl can take care of him and protect him."

He sadly shook his head. "No, I don't. You know I like you, otherwise I wouldn't be meeting with you right now, but you're too young and fresh to the situation to know how to handle it. I'm sorry, but there's no way I can let Inuyasha go with you. Maybe I can manage to let you two meet up a couple nights during your stay here. After all if you're here a full two months then the strictness of the two week limit is usually a bit more malleable…" He trailed off as she pushed back from the table and stood up.

"Don't worry about it Ryu." She waved him off, stung but still understanding where he was coming from and the depth of his care for his charge. "I'll figure something out though. Don't think you've heard the last from me on the subject though."

With her declaration made and the gauntlet thrown down she strode from the room, intent on her mission. She focused her mind on this task solely, refusing to entertain the fleeting questions of why she was so determined in this effort. She shut away the ghosting thoughts that perhaps the reason she couldn't stand being with other men was just because they _weren't _Inuyasha, or that mayhap she enjoyed being with him_ too_ much.

No, she wouldn't think on those at all, because then she'd have to question her own motivation and her mind wouldn't be zeroed in on her goal: getting Inuyasha to herself for a full month…for _worship_ purposes only, of course.

* * *

**A/N:** Thank you again to my lovely betas for reading through this for me even with their busy lives, especially seren1tystar01 getting back to me after having someone in the hospital – both of your support boosts me so much.

Thanks again to all reviewers, et al, who support the story and keep me plodding along at my sluggish pace in my poor attempt to finish this fic.

* * *

Original posting: April 14, 2007


	10. Precipitation

Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler

* * *

**Chapter 10: Precipitation**  
- A hastening or acceleration, especially one that is sudden or unexpected

* * *

Kagome lay in bed staring blankly at the ceiling under Inuyasha's comfortable weight from where he lay half on top of her, his hand lazily stroking down her side. She was sure objectively they should be the absolute picture of contentment, curled around each other and as comfortable with each other's naked bodies as they were, yet she couldn't swallow past the lump in her throat.

It was their last night.

Inuyasha felt her tense up and instantly became alert. "Kagome, what's wrong?" he asked, raising himself on his elbows over her so he could peer into her face unimpeded.

Looking up at features so familiar to her, into deep amber eyes she'd seen darken with passion or alight with a little boy's sense of wonder, she didn't want to face the reality that this might be the last time she ever saw him.

"I don't want to say goodbye," she whispered then quickly looked away, suddenly fearful of the admission.

"I see," he said calmly – too calmly – withdrawing his warmth from hers.

As soon as she felt the mattress shift as his weight left the bed she knew what had happened. With as paranoid as his life had made him how could she not? Even after everything they'd done together, experienced together, been through together, he could still think she'd want to _leave_ him without so much as a 'by your leave.' Is that how much he thought he meant to her?

But she knew how the world had shaped him, the strange vulnerability that still rocked his psyche, so she was more resigned than hurt, and saddened for him that it would be so incredibly hard for him to trust anyone throughout his whole life.

_Perhaps it's better this way,_ she mused. For him it could just be a clean break and he wouldn't have to live thinking about might-have-beens. She knew that no matter what, her departure would hurt him on some level – they'd become too close for it to be otherwise. But as she stared at his turned back she suddenly realized that how hurt he got lay within her hands to determine.

If she let him think he hadn't meant all that much to her it would tear her up inside and he would be crushed, possibly feel slightly betrayed, but it was a pain he was all too familiar with and accustomed to dealing with and pushing through. He might hate her afterward but in the end it probably wouldn't rock him as badly.

If she let him know how terribly much he meant to her now, how desperately she wished that circumstances were different, then he would have to live with the specter over his head knowing that someone out there in the world truly did care about him but their separate lives dictated they couldn't be together, not truly. It would be just another crushing cruelty to throw on him to add to all the others, yet another thing denied to him just because he was hanyou and made the only living he could as a prostitute, even if it was under the glamorous name of Tetsudai. Such unfairness abounding in the world, especially of knowing something wonderful out there was just beyond reach, could drive a person mad.

She took a sobering breath to calm herself and tried to be strong. She knew that telling him the truth now, correcting his misunderstanding of her words, would only make herself feel better – it wouldn't help him at all but would only make things messier in the end while she wouldn't have to feel like the bad guy. Because she knew this, because she knew how much some part of her didn't want to make such a sacrifice, she sat and turned her back to him because the larger part of her knew it was better to hurt him a little bit once than a little bit every day for a lifetime.

Inuyasha saw her naked back turned to him, so rigid and stoic, cold where it had been warm and pliant before, and knew he'd been played a fool. He wasn't stupid, he knew he meant more to her than to any of his other clients, but that still apparently amounted to very little. A hanyou, after all, was less than half a soul and therefore didn't need to be shown full consideration. He blistered himself internally for forgetting that for even as short a time as this.

The two were frozen, thoughts racing while both refused to act on any impetus that would truly shatter the unearthly calm they'd lived the past days through.

Kagome heard Inuyasha shift behind her and the first tear fell; she was sure he was leaving her now.

"Kagome?"

The timid tone of his voice and the tentative touch on her shoulder broke her. She knew how much that had to cost him when his pride was the only thing he truly had to his name. With a cry she turned and leapt onto him, clinging to his chest and sobbing into his warm skin as his arms clamped about her.

He clung to her like she was his lifeline and didn't ever plan on letting go. He didn't know the first thing about how to handle a crying human female but if he did know one thing well it was her body and its reactions to him. Cradling her head against his shoulder he didn't bother to take a step from where he'd been standing halfway between the bed and the door, but sat on the floor where he was, pulling her into his lap, and finally smoothing her hair down her back until she was hiccupping softly against him.

From the way her fingers were still scrabbling against his back it was obvious, even to him, how she'd originally meant those words. It had simply never entered his mind that someone might take badly to his absence, let alone react as strongly as had the girl in his arms.

"Shhhh, Kagome," he soothed.

They sat wrapped around each other until they were both as still as the bleak night air outside the window of her small apartment, a luxury Inuyasha bathed in every time he was over since he wasn't afforded one back at the Shrine. Inuyasha braced himself to withdraw from her but when his limbs refused to comply he simply sighed and lowered his face back down to nuzzle the crown of her head.

"When do you leave?" he asked, wondering if there was any slight possibility that he'd get to see her tomorrow for a moment or if this evening really was goodbye.

She stiffened, her mind racing with all the preparations she'd have to make tonight for finding another temporary Tetsudai and extending her apartment lease another month; she couldn't imagine taking anyone else home with her after Ryu's refusal. She had to stifle the urge to rub at her temples. "I don't," she replied, distracted by her own thoughts and feeling that was explanation enough.

Inuyasha, however, didn't like that answer at all. "You're not going home?" he questioned, wanting to make sure his ears weren't deceiving him and Kagome finally came back to the present when she heard the displeasure in his voice. Vacantly she shook her head.

"So was this all a game?" he accused quietly. "Some ploy to see how far you could make the hanyou go out of his way and cater to you?"

She refused to succumb to his paranoia this time and just glared up at him. "Is that what you really think?" Confusion warred with distrust and hope in his eyes enough that she knew the answer before he even moved. The shake of his head was hesitant at best but her heart soared even as she saw his piercing eyes ask his question. He really was growing to have more faith in her, he just didn't know what other option there could be than disloyalty.

Her weariness caught up with her and she laid her head back down on his chest. "You heard the message my mom left me, remember?" She didn't wait for a response. "The shrine back home is doing so well they figured the kami must be pretty happy with what I'm doing here. _So_…they requested another month – another four weeks of invoking the kamis' blessing through my worship." Her voice flitted up to him, slightly muffled by his own skin, and it took him a moment to process what she'd said.

When he fully understood the ramifications he pulled her back so he could look her in the face. "What are you going to do?"

She shrugged up at him, "I don't know," and glanced away quickly, but not before he saw the slightly broken look in her eyes.

Kagome chided herself harshly. She was acting like a baby just because she was being treated like some piece of ass and she didn't like it. So what? The wonderful person she was currently sitting on top of – she hoped against hope she hadn't made his legs fall asleep as that'd just be embarrassing – had to go through horrors untold each and every day yet he wasn't collapsing into a heap of self-pity. So she was uncomfortable for a month and felt like a whore, big deal! At least she was consoled by the fact that she was helping her family in the process. Inuyasha's pain, on the other hand, was meaningless for having no further purpose.

She mustered the biggest smile she could and aimed it up at him, pushing as much of it into her eyes as possible. "I'll figure out something though; I'm a big girl now, I'll survive."

Sobering a moment the corners of her mouth dropped and she stared at him with such naked…_something_…he couldn't quite put his finger on it but was sure he'd never seen it directed at him before…that he was momentarily rendered immobile by the power of it.

"Thank you, though, a thousand times thank you. You've shown me so much and gone to so much trouble for me. You brought me into this world with such a gentleness," she saw him about to refute her choice of words and placed a hand on his cheek to forestall it, "yes, gentleness, that it kept me from becoming paralyzed by my own ridiculous fears. You really are something else, you know that?"

He tried to block out her words – no one could ever mean something like that about him – but the sincerity in her voice flooded him and he slowly pulled her to him again, unable to take any more of that look in her eyes.

He knew he shouldn't do this, that it was an utterly stupid and horrible idea, but that couldn't keep him from croaking out the words. "I could keep coming to see you, at least for a little while – "

She cut him off with a sharp push to his chest and a quickly yelled, "No!" Taking in his arrested features her face immediately softened and her fingers glided over the red spots where she'd slapped her hands against him in her haste to pull back.

"No," she repeated, "you've done entirely too much for me already. I've been ridiculous and selfish and had so little regard for your safety, as Ryu informed me so bluntly." She muttered the tail end, recalling how well her last conversation had gone with the older man. "There's no way I'm allowing you to do anything more to risk yourself just because my sensibilities are a little bit burned."

Inuyasha laid one clawed finger against her mouth and she looked at him questioningly, surprised to see his own brows furrowed together. "You've been meeting with Ryu? Ryu _knows_ about this?"

She worked not to cringe as he threw the words out somewhere between disbelief and accusation. Watching, she saw as he slowly processed all the things that could mean. Unknowingly, she stiffened defensively when she saw the sudden gleam his eyes took on.

"When did he say those things to you, Kagome?"

She answered hesitantly, not sure where he was going but not completely trusting the look on his face. "Yesterday."

"Why did he only say that yesterday?"

She stared at him blankly a moment.

"If he knew about this all along then why would he suddenly call up new worries about my safety now…unless something new was brought up when the two of you met?"

She couldn't stop the strangled gasp that escaped her lips and drew herself back from him slightly. He was _not_ supposed to be this shrewd!

Her mind raced, trying to find a plausible way out of this current predicament. She knew she was horrible at lying but both she and Ryu had agreed that it would only hurt the hanyou more to raise his hopes, and she certainly wouldn't do so now that she knew nothing could possibly come from her struck down intentions. So she did the only thing she could think of to do: she bluffed.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she harrumphed, crossing her arms over her chest and turning her head away. If she'd thought it would do anything she would have used their position to try and turn his mind to more _primal _matters, but he was too stubborn once on a particular train of thought. Even if she was able to distract him he would come right back to the same line of questioning after they were done; she couldn't even hope to gain herself more time to think up a plausible story because she knew all mental capacity on her part would go flying out the window as soon as he touched her. No, it was better to push through this now and not give him any more time to become even more suspicious.

"Ryu is simply too nice for his own good is all. He'd thought me somewhat selfish all along but couldn't bring himself to say it until yesterday. I must have just done something that finally annoyed him enough to bring him to bypass social niceties."

Inuyasha raised one brow speculatively, clearly not buying her line. "Oh really?" he drawled, content to let the game play out for a moment. "And just what could you have done to push Mr. Proper Secretary to throw away years of etiquette?"

Kagome had to think fast. "I'm not positive. It could have been I was talking too much – he is a middle aged man having to deal with a teenage female after all. Or it could have been the soup I spilled on his trousers…" She tapped a finger against her chin as if deep in thought. "Honestly, I can't be sure. I could have done any number of things. I've certainly gotten under your skin a few times, haven't I?"

She raised her eyebrows as if to indicate that should prove her point but at his still obvious skepticism she threw up her hands in exasperation. "I don't know, Inuyasha, you can't expect me to know all the workings of any male mind, let alone Ryu's. I don't know why he suddenly said it, just that he did, so let it go at that."

Silence reigned between them a moment until his rough voice broke the silence. "You feel like telling me the truth now?"

Instantly she deflated, unable to think of anything else to keep him off the track. How could she possibly tell him now that it would never come to pass? "Please, you don't need to know, you don't _want_ to know." She knew immediately that she'd said the wrong thing when she saw the determination in his eyes harden, but she made one last effort anyhow.

"It's nothing bad and it's not anything that matters anymore anyhow. Ryu was right and I was selfish and stupid for bringing it up; it'll only hurt you if I bring it up again."

"So it has to do with me?"

_Darn!_ she thought. _And I'd been so close!_

Laying her head down with a defeated smack she mumbled, "I won't tell you." So now the gauntlet was thrown and she prayed to every kami she could think of that he would choose to be merciful and let it go.

Inuyasha, however, was having none of it. "You will tell me, Kagome, even if I have to force it out of you."

She swallowed harshly.

"Believe me, after years of working at the Shrine I know all sorts of inventive methods to get me what I want. You wanna know one of the most effective?"

She didn't respond, pretending that if she ignored him the threat would go away.

"Tickling."

_Darn!_ she thought again. In any other situation she would have found his proclamation outright hilarious but the gravity of both his tone and the situation erased any humor from the scene. That, and she knew he was right.

Tickling had always been one of her biggest weaknesses. There were enough years between herself and Souta that she'd always been bigger and faster despite the fact that he was a boy. If he ever got a hold of her, however, it was all over the second he put his fingers to her ribs, and he'd have her squirming and promising to do all his chores for the next week.

So she knew it was futile before Inuyasha ever even touched her but she knew she couldn't cave. It was for his sake, after all. She'd been thoughtless, had put him at risk, so now she had to be as strong as she could for _his_ sake.

She didn't last more than thirty seconds.

She was howling at the top of her lungs while mentally apologizing to her neighbors, gasping for breath, and rolling on the floor with tears running down her face. She'd actually tried to pant out 'I give' a couple times before she finally succeeded just from the sheer lack of air to her lungs.

As soon as he rolled off her and his hands left her skin she rocked to her knees and, seeing as how their struggle had maneuvered them closer to the bed, grabbed one of the sheets to wrap around herself. She most definitely needed something to fidget with while she unveiled this part of herself.

While she was still pulling the oversized fabric from the bed she muttered, "I wanted for you to come home with me." It was a soft pronouncement but she knew he'd heard it, which was a good thing because she didn't think she could bring herself to say it any louder if she'd tried.

Returning to her seat on the floor she turned her back to him and huddled herself inside the copious amount of white sheet, wishing that things had turned out any way other than this.

An interminable amount of time passed and Kagome swore she was about to go mad when he finally spoke. "You're serious?"

She turned on him, embarrassment and self-loathing fueling her anger. "Of course I'm serious! You think I'd make something like that up?" The look of wonder on his face hitched something inside her and she quickly whirled away again, unwilling to look at him with that expression aimed at her.

"Why didn't you want to tell me? Did you change your mind?"

To her surprise he actually sounded more petulant than angered or hurt and a small beam of warmth lit her insides when she realized that meant he trusted her, however slightly, and what he meant to her. She knew she caught him off guard with her fierce hug around his middle when he started mumbling under his breath about crazy women, but she couldn't bring herself to care. Apparently he didn't mind much either as he continued his ramblings but brought his hands up to grip her back and tangle in her hair.

The smile she then bestowed on him could have outshone the sun in its brilliance for the few seconds before she recalled the topic of their conversation and it slowly faded from her face. She heaved a small sigh of reluctance to let go of the glowing feeling but since she knew it was something she'd be able to remember and treasure years from now when Inuyasha was only a pleasant memory, she was content for the moment.

She shook her head, grateful for the tension breaker that allowed her to now have a level head as she answered him. "No, I didn't change my mind. I would love to spend another month with you, but it's just not possible. As I said, I spoke to Ryu yesterday and he showed me just how truly ignorant I am."

Inuyasha started to say something but she cut him off.

"No, he's right. I could have gotten you killed!" She paled slightly at the realization. "Honestly I didn't even know that hanyou really existed until coming here, or at least I'd never truly thought about it. I don't know what you are and are not allowed to do in the outside world, what will protect you and what will put you in danger. I couldn't stand it if anything happened to you. Maybe that's me being selfish again, knowing that I wouldn't want to live with the guilt of being responsible for you getting hurt, but I just can't stand even the idea of it!"

He smiled at her, softly, and she was thrown completely off her stride. Huffily she crossed her arms over her chest. "What?"

"You don't want me to get hurt." His smile turned crafty and she turned wary. "But you still want to be with me."

Now she just felt like she was being patronized. "Of course, that was the point of all my monologuing!" she groused, poking at his chest.

"There is a way…"

She turned suspicious, narrowed eyes on him, the look telling him if he valued his hide he'd better hurry and explain.

"There's a spell that can be used, any number of the miko in the Shrine should be able to do the incantation. It's a rosary that would be a 'sealing bond' of sorts between the two of us – well basically it makes me your fucking lapdog, but who's being picky?" She jolted at his explanation but he continued ahead. "It has worked into it a subduing word that keeps me under your control, which of course in the eyes of the world makes me somewhat safer."

Shakily she pushed herself back, out from between his legs where he'd stretched them out on either side of her, effectively encasing her in his presence. She shook her head, unable to believe what he'd just said. "You can't really mean that."

The look he gave her was so placid that she knew with heartrending certainty it meant he was masking his confusion and uncertainty. "That is, of course, only if you still wanted me to go with you."

"It's not that, you know it's not that." Though she didn't know him nearly as well as she'd like, she knew his body, and the language of his posture was screaming his questions at her.

"Inuyasha, that's humiliating! You said I'd be in utter control of you; I couldn't be part of such a thing. It would destroy you!"

Part of him was rather annoyed at her words. Did she really think he was so weak he couldn't handle a small blow to his pride, sacrifice it even, when it was worth it? "Ask Ryu about it."

She was slow in her words, but emphatic, and he knew there'd be no change on her part. "I can't do that to you. I'm sorry but no."

A change of tactics was needed he decided.

"Fine then." Though she was surprised by his sudden capitulation, given his almost obsessive need to compete with her in the stubbornness department, she didn't question it. He simply _had_ to see, just as she did, that such an endeavor might not be only degrading but also possibly futile as she didn't see how that could protect him against all the unknowns. It was a nice try, and she was happy that he showed interest in going with her, but it was not something she would risk.

Before she knew what was happening he'd grabbed her arm and spun her onto the bed, trapping her in the sheet along the way, and climbed in behind her. "Go to sleep," he ordered. She was going to argue simply on principle alone, or perhaps in favor of other activities - or at least to question why he wasn't the one pursuing it, but was undone by her own enormous yawn. Deciding giving in would be the better part of valor this time she simply laid her head against him and fell into turbulent slumber.

* * *

When she woke up around midnight Inuyasha was already gone and, though at first she felt more than miffed, she came to the conclusion that in the end it was probably better for both of them. They'd had their chance at goodbye the day and evening before and that had already been volatile enough, fraught with too much tension and emotion for something that was supposed to be no more than a business affair. No good would come from dragging it out even further.

Now she needed to go through the few belongings she'd brought with her (and were left intact after some of the rather more _enthusiastic _sessions with her favorite hanyou), figure out what she needed to buy to get her through another month there, (thank the kamis for credit cards), and go see Ryu again. The way she'd left him hadn't exactly been a pleasant ending to their conversation, and since she now agreed with his point of view more than when she'd argued with him, she knew she owed him an apology.

Still, knowing it had to be done didn't make the thing any easier and so she found herself taking as long as possible to get ready to leave and then dragging her feet the whole way to the Shrine.

No sooner was she through the door to the reception room than she was leveled with a deadly glare. Stopping, not knowing the cause for such malcontent in the man, she nearly shrank into the doorpost before mentally shaking herself, chiding herself for such childish behavior, and striding forward to meet him.

Ryu didn't bother with niceties; he just barked out an order for Kazuma to take the station, which the younger man wisely did not argue about, and stalked from the room assuming Kagome would follow. Leading her to one of the back meeting rooms he turned on her as soon as the door was closed.

"Why did you tell him?" he all but snarled. There was no need for her to ask what he was talking about.

"I didn't mean to," she defended, "or at least I'd never intended to. He simply noticed something was wrong and wouldn't let it go – you know how stubborn he can be. I tried to lie, to evade, I even asked him to just trust me in that he didn't want to know, but he just wouldn't let it go and eventually I just caved." She poked her toe at a thread coming loose in the rug, suitably chastened. "I guess you're right, I am pretty weak."

"You've always been easy to read, girl, so I guess it comes as no big surprise. And I never said weak, Kagome."

Her head rose at his words.

"…Just selfish."

…and quickly ducked back between her shoulders.

Ryu was a practical man, a realist. He wouldn't let her put words in his mouth, especially to point out faults he didn't think she had (after all, anyone who would dress as a dominatrix just to specifically trick Kazuma had a stronger stomach than he did), but he wasn't done venting his anger just yet. Oh no, he'd just started.

"And the rosary?" he queried, crossing his arms and tapping his foot just like the math teacher she'd never been able to get off her back and she shuddered involuntarily at the memory.

"What about it?" she muttered before his words sank in and she gawked. "Wait, you mean that's real?"

"Of course. Didn't you find out about it from one of the miko at the healing shrine and bring up the possibility to Inuyasha?" His angry edge was slipping as confusion pushed its way inside his head. The stupid stare she was giving him wasn't exactly conducive to the idea of her being someone who'd been plotting such a device. As he'd said, she was easy to read, at least to him and apparently Inuyasha as well, despite the fact that Kazuma hadn't been able to see through her act from the nervous smile and small tremors in her hands.

She shook her head, mute for a few seconds at the implications. "You really think I would…?" Her movement became more violent and she quickly transformed from mouse to tiger in his eyes. "I can't believe you think me capable of such a thing! Not only the duplicity but also putting Inuyasha in danger!"

Ryu's eyes widened slightly. Wasn't she the one who only yesterday had been saying that fun and enjoyment was more important than safety? Quality over quantity?

Starting to stomp her way over to him she stopped after only two steps, her righteous indignation brimming up inside her so much she had to focus all her energy to keep still for fear of what else she might do.

"After I told him what we'd talked about and how I was starting to _agree_ with you, _he_ was the one who brought up the idea of using the rosary – which I refused out of hand." She crossed her arms and glared at him as if daring him to contradict her.

"So you told him you didn't want to take him home anymore?"

"No, I told him I still _wanted_ to take him home but that I wasn't willing to endanger or humiliate him so it _wasn't_ a possibility."

Ryu, to Kagome's astonishment, actually growled under his breath. "Inuuuyaaasha!"

"What?" she asked, fearing Ryu might actually be nearing senility.

"He came to me this afternoon and requested the rosary to be put on."

"What?!" she repeated, screeching loud enough that the older man visibly winced. "But I told him I wouldn't – " Well at least that explained why Inuyasha had been so anxious to get her to fall asleep.

"Kagome, you know him as well as I do and this is something he won't be easily swayed from. It's obviously something he wants badly enough to do whatever it takes in order to achieve it." Whether the hanyou wanted to be with the girl or just get out of the Shrine he didn't know, though he suspected it was more of the former than Inuyasha would admit or even realized himself yet. "If you're still willing, I suggest you just go ahead and take him home."

She laughed out loud. She had to be hearing things, right? There was no way Ryu said what she just thought he said, not after the way he'd been speaking to her the day before. "Sorry, I don't think I got enough sleep. I thought you said – "

"You heard me right," he interrupted. "Unless, of course, you don't _want_ to take him home anymore?"

He smirked at her spluttering.

"Maybe someone else has caught your eye? I can always call Kouga back or go scrounge up that behemoth of a book for you – "

She interjected a breathy, "No!" to his tirade and all of her confusion was there on her face for him to see. "But I thought you said…I mean…the danger and…"

"Kagome," he said softly, drawing her stark gaze to his, "do you want him?"

"I don't want to hurt him."

"I know girl, but will you take him with you?" He waited and when she still didn't have an answer forthcoming he gently drew her by the arm to a couple folding chairs set in the corner.

"You know I love him, that he's family, right?" Ryu's voice was smooth in making such a politically volatile statement.

She nodded.

"You were right that there are many kinds of hurts, many kinds of safety. My keeping him from something he would never know about was one thing, but now that he knows and actively _wants_ this there's no way I can keep it from him. Not only do I not want him sulking around the place but I truly do want him to enjoy what he can.

"Besides," he continued, "I happen to believe hanyou are equal beings and as such have free will." She focused on him intently, the thought captivating her. "He knows his own limitations in the outside world, the risks he takes by such a move, and only he has the right to take his safety into his own hands – it is not up to you or me.

"You are his friend, Kagome, regardless of what he is to you, and had you requested it of him he would have gone with you, no matter what his personal wishes were. He hides it well but he is very soft-hearted."

"Yes," she whispered, "I know."

"Though the rest of the world may say he has no soul, no mind, and no concept of how to decide his own destiny, I disagree. If he truly knows all about the situation and has made the choice to go ahead and go with you then I say that decision is his to make. The only question is," he laid a gentle hand on her arm, "will you still have him?"

She looked into his eyes, so fraught with worry, and wondered if that's what every parent felt like when his child was grown into an adult and in charge of his own fate. "Are you sure?"

His nod was firm, decisive, and showed no hesitation despite his concern.

"Okay then, tell me everything I need to know."

* * *

Inuyasha couldn't stand it anymore, the wait had been interminable! When was that damn duo going to get there? They couldn't really need that long just to jabber, could they? A small pang of doubt shot through him and he wondered if maybe Kagome had balked at the idea and simply left, or found another Tetsudai instead of dealing with him. After all, she had said she'd refuse to use the rosary. Maybe she'd just used the whole story as an excuse in the end and wanted to save his _feelings_. What did she think he was, a fucking pansy!?

The door shot open with a bang and when his chin slipped out of his hand he was grateful for the demon heritage that allowed him to act fast enough to right himself before anyone noticed.

It was easy enough to tell what had happened: Kagome was hesitant but happy and Ryu was perturbed but calm. Normal enough.

Now came the part he was sure he wasn't going to enjoy.

Ryu closed them in the room then motioned toward Inuyasha while looking at Kagome. "We just need you to complete the rosary incantation by choosing the subjugation word."

Both the others in the room shot him a dark look though Kagome was the one who voiced the thought aloud. "Do you really have to use a term like 'subjugation word'?"

He just shrugged and waved it aside. "That's all just semantics; you know what I mean by it." He would refrain from pointing out, just because he could see the tension in the two, that the term was spot on.

Turning fully to the fresh-faced young woman he was entrusting so much to, he regarded her seriously. "As soon as I say the final phrase of the spell it has begun and will already be linked to you. After that the first word you say will be chosen for the subduing so do make sure it is not a word you commonly use as we don't want the poor lad overly abused."

"Inuyasha, you're sure?" She had to be positive, had to hear it from his own mouth before she could let Ryu continue.

In response he just tugged at the rosary as if that were all the proof she should need, and oddly enough it was, so she let the vocal part of his confirmation slide.

She nodded back to her balding compatriot to indicate she was ready to continue but was thrown off stride when she saw he had already started chanting almost inaudibly under his breath!

"Wait, Ryu," she tried, not sure why she wanted him to pause, only knowing that she'd lost her balance, but there was no point.

His eyes shot open and he shouted, "Now!"

Immediately silence fell over the room and both sets of male eyes fell on her.

"Kagome?" Ryu prompted.

Shuffling back a couple steps she held out her hands in front of her, as if to ward off both them and the entire situation. She didn't know how she could take such control of him, effectively putting a leash on him and chaining him to both her and her will. Wasn't that what he hated most about the Shrine? Sure, he didn't like the physical torment, but he was strong and able to cope with that. It was the absolute lack of freedom that crushed him. How could he really be okay with yet another restriction on himself?

"You're not going to abuse it, are you?" Inuyasha spoke for the first time since she'd entered the room and his words jolted her from her spinning thoughts. She swiveled to face him and shook her head in the negative, to which he shrugged. "Then what's the big deal?"

He had a point, she realized.

"Inuyasha, attack her," came Ryu's voice.

Her eyes widened as she realized he was already charging from the other side of the room, claws raised. They widened further when she saw he had no intention of stopping and in the blink of an eye he'd be on her.

With a knee-jerk reaction she yelled out the first thing she could think of, "Osuwari!" then watched in amazement as he smashed facedown into the ground. She looked to Ryu for confirmation but he just stared solemnly, if not slightly amusedly, at Inuyasha.

She knelt by him and tried to roll him over but he wouldn't budge. "Are you alright?" she asked frantically. All she got for her efforts were some half-mumbled curses.

"Did you really have to pick that? What am I, your pet dog?"

She stood in a huff, crossing her arms. He was the one who'd placed her in this ridiculous situation in the first place anyhow. "_You_ were the one attacking _me; _it wasn't exactly very conducive to thinking on my feet. Besides, what would you prefer I yelled out? 'Stop!' 'No!' 'Wait!' I'm sure those would've worked really well."

Inwardly he realized he had to agree with her. As much as she talked he really didn't feel like getting flattened to the ground ten times a day. His only outward show was more grumbling. Slowly he pushed himself off the cold cement floor and brushed himself off before stalking over to the door and pulling it open.

"Well…?" he intoned. "We going or not?"

Kagome glanced to Ryu one last time and when he nodded she smiled brilliantly. She flashed that shining smile at Inuyasha and he marveled that she could be so happy over something as simple as his going with her. _It's the convenience of it, nothing more_, he tried to convince himself.

"Don't you have to pack?" she asked as he moved to walk out.

"What do you mean?" he answered gruffly. "I have everything I need."

Her eyes dimmed slightly as she realized that all he must own were the clothes on his back, nothing more, but to her credit she didn't mention it.

"Actually…"

He paused again at the embarrassed tone in her voice.

"…we can't leave just yet.

He raised one black eyebrow dramatically at her. "Why the hell wouldn't we be able to leave yet? The spell's finished, everything's set, so what are you stalling for?"

She gaped at him, looking affronted. "I am not stalling!" She actually stomped her foot.

"I thought I was staying here for another month so now I need time to change all my plans. I already extended my lease so I need to go cancel that, I need to inform my family that I'm coming home and bringing a Tetsudai, I need to pack…"

Inuyasha growled, feeling utterly foolish for not having thought of that and only focusing on what _he_ had to do to leave. "Fine then," he snapped at her. "I'll wait here with Ryu."

His scowl didn't fade even when she leaned up to kiss him on the cheek, though he had to fight to do so, and he merely glared when she did the same to Ryu.

Turning him a cheeky grin, as if she knew _exactly_ what was going on inside his head, she shot him a small wink. "I'll be back as soon as I can," she said, though in reality she had no idea how long it would take her to accomplish all she needed to. With a short wave she turned on her heels and headed down the hall, bouncing all the way.

* * *

The first thing Kagome did upon leaving the main doors of the Shrine was race back to her apartment and phone home. She was near to pulling her hair out, fearing she might have to leave a message, when the line picked up on the third ring.

"Hello?" the sleepy voice answered. Kagome could nearly hit herself for forgetting it was still early a.m.

"Mama?" she tried timidly. "Sorry about the time, I just had some news…" At least that would prevent her mother from dreaming up emergency scenarios that would warrant a middle-of-the-night call.

"Kagome!" the matronly voice rang out in pleasant surprise. "I wasn't expecting to hear from you so soon. Are all your preparations set for the next month? Is there anything else you need me to send you?"

"I'm coming home," she cut in bluntly, not knowing quite the best way to lay everything out in front of her family. "I'm bringing a Tetsudai with me."

Mrs. Higurashi paused a moment to take in her daughter's words. The reason Kagome had gone to the Shrine when she did was because she had just graduated and was frantically trying to prepare for the medical school she'd tested into. The month that had been originally decided on was to ensure Kagome would have enough time after coming home to start study sessions and take pre-emptive classes in order to get ahead as early as possible. Her daughter, while not thrilled with most school subjects, absolutely immersed herself in the study of medicine and loved it passionately.

She'd hated to tell Kagome to take another month at the Bacana Shrine and so have to postpone her preparations and study sessions, let alone any actual vacation time to be spent with her friends. Yet even at the girl's younger age she knew how important the family shrine was to not only their continued existence and income, but also their honor, respect, and social standing in the community. A mother never liked to ask a sacrifice of her daughter but in this case it had seemed the best thing to do for the sake of the family.

But now she was talking of bringing someone home with her?

Mrs. Higurashi was many things, and stupid was not one of them. She'd spent time at the Bacana Shrine herself as a young woman – she knew some of the implications such a move could mean.

"Really now?"

"He's a hanyou." She'd blurted it out with significantly less tact than she could have wished for, but she supposed it was better than beating around the bush. Kagome loved her mother and respected her greatly but squeezed her eyes shut tightly as the reality of possible reactions slammed down on her. She didn't _think_ her mother would think anything less of a hanyou, no more than she herself had, but she'd never had the hypothesis tested and couldn't know all of her mom's past regardless. The moment seemed to drag on interminably…

"When will the two of you be coming?" And just like that her mother breezed past it, blowing all Kagome's worries out of the water. She smiled broadly, blinking rapidly; she'd known there was no reason to doubt her mother and felt guilty for even entertaining the idea.

"As soon as we can, hopefully tomorrow. It all just kind of fell into place last minute and I didn't even know it was going to work out until today so I still have things to do before I can leave."

Her mother knew there had to be a story behind all that but decided to leave it until she got home – not only did her daughter sound harassed and busy but it was so much easier to get information out of her in person. Luckily for her, Kagome was an abysmal liar.

"All right then dear, I'll let you go then as I've things to do as well now. Your grandfather and I will start working on getting things in order here."

Kagome nodded absently, going through her mental checklist. "Okay mama. Since I don't know exactly when I'll be there I'll just see you at the house then. Bye."

"Bye."

The line clicked dead and she sat there a moment in stunned silence. That had gone much more easily than she'd anticipated. She was tempted to give into a grin and giddy little laugh but decided she still had too much to do. Standing up and straightening her shoulders she wilted slightly as she looked around her room, seeing how spread out her things were – and _goodness_ but the library books were still there! Another thing to add to her checklist. She slumped slightly on purveying the task that was her room so decided that first on her list would be her leasing agent and marched straight out of the door.

* * *

By two o'clock that afternoon Kagome arrived back at the Bacana Shrine, exhausted but proud of herself for accomplishing so much in so little time. She'd even been able to scrub her place enough to get her cleaning deposit back.

Of course the little leasing man who's apartment was attached to the back of the office hadn't been thrilled at all to get a visitor at 3am, but who knew that his was the only business that didn't run the same nocturnal hours as the rest of the surrounding area?

But still, she was ready to just pick up Inuyasha, go home, and sleep for an entire day. _Not that that will be likely considering my family and my own personal Tetsudai…_she mused.

She wandered the halls of the sprawling building and luck was on her side as she guessed correctly that the two would be waiting in Ryu's office, away from the other Tetsudai and hopefully fewer watching eyes and lax tongues.

Walking in after Ryu gave her leave she graced them both with a brilliant smile, one hand hiding behind her back.

Facing Inuyasha she asked, "Are you ready?"

He ignored her question, focusing instead on the corner of a bag he could see protruding from behind her thigh. "What do you have?"

She handed it over to him, chuckling only slightly at the confused look he wore upon pulling out a bandana and a sports cap. "What're these for?" He sniffed both items as if they were alien objects, clearly not liking the look of either. Now that Kagome thought about it she supposed neither really did go with his fire-rat robes, but fashion wasn't the point here.

"I didn't know which would be more comfortable so that's why I got you one of each kind. I figured if we're so concerned about safety then we may as well not go around flaunting that you're hanyou."

Inuyasha merely rolled his eyes. "And this is what your puny ningen brain thought would protect me? These," he pointed to his ears, "aren't the only things that mark me." He then indicated his fangs, claws, and even eyes to make his point but Kagome just sniffed.

"Those aren't as obvious. Besides, someone could see those markings and take you for full youkai instead."

"And what about these full youkai? They won't be tricked by any fancy little cap – they can smell the blood in me, feel my aura – a little camouflaging won't do a damn thing."

Kagome almost yelled out that if he was so certain he'd be outed and thought she was so stupid then he couldn't possibly want to come with her, but after yesterday she knew that to be false. She staunchly told herself it must just be his nerves talking but it certainly didn't make it hurt any less, or any less irritating and annoying.

"Every time I hear the two of you speaking of it you're always talking about getting mowed down by guns. The last I knew youkai didn't bother to use them so I was only looking at it from the side of a _human_ threat."

Ryu nodded slowly to the side, making his first appearance in their debate. "I think you may be right in this," he stated arbitrarily and they both stared at him blankly, trying to decide who it was he was agreeing with.

"Youkai for the most part will simply see you as an annoyance, a disgrace, almost something beneath their notice and not to be trifled with – unless you get directly in their way of course." He sent a penetrating look at Inuyasha that warned he knew the hanyou's temperament and bravado and that neither should be employed here.

"No, it's humans, with their fear of the unknown and tendency to act first and ask questions later, who are the bigger threat. If you can avoid any conflict by not parading their insecurities in front of them, so much the better."

Inuyasha huffed but offered no further dissent while tying the bandana on his head.

After a few more words of advice and precautions from Ryu the pair made their way from his office. Kagome surprised the both of them by nearly jumping on the balding little man and enveloping him in an enormous bear hug. Inuyasha made a great show of crossing his arms and looking the other way but had either cared to watch him they'd have noticed how he continued to peek at them out of the corners of his eyes and his expression had softened slightly.

Backing away, Kagome bid one final farewell to the red-faced man and the two were off to face the 'big bad world'.

Ryu shook his head as the door closed behind them, praying to the heavens that he'd done the right thing.

* * *

**A/N:** I think this is my favorite chapter so far. Hope you're all enjoying as well.

Many thanks to all reviewers - the fact that you all actually enjoy this story is what really keeps me going. ^_^

Sassa: I am so glad you pointed out the first main theme of this fic, that sex does not equal love and mean that love is there (and love doesn't sex and mean that'll happen either, but obviously we're not focusing on this side of it). Thanks for your wonderful review - it was the highlight of my day ^_^

Necr0mantic: Thank you so much for pointing out the remaining mix-ups I had. It had actually been much worse before and I thought I'd caught them all but people would randomly comment on it so I wasn't sure…and now I know where! Yay! I love it when people point out my mistakes so that I don't _continue_ to look like a complete goob to all who later read my stuff. ^_-

* * *

Originally posted: July 9, 2007


	11. Adaptation

Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler

* * *

**Chapter 11: Adaptation**  
- A slow, usually unconscious modification of individual and social activity in adjustment to cultural surroundings

* * *

The two hour train ride was a new experience for Inuyasha, and a terrifying one at that. It wasn't the speed that got to him – he figured he was capable of nearly the same, though he'd hardly had the opportunity to test it – but the tightly enclosed space with so many human bodies did. Though the smell alone almost overpowered him, what bothered him more was the feeling of being surrounded, closed in.

Kagome was only able to tell in how stiff he held himself. Knowing he'd only become more irritable if she called attention to it she just pretended not to notice, and when she took his hand she tried to make it seem it was only for her own comfort and not for his.

The walk from the train station to her family shrine was nerve-wracking and he plain stopped cold at the foot of the stairs that would lead them the final length. He hadn't really thought this through, hadn't considered what it would be like to put himself in a strange household for a month with people he didn't know, to live at their mercy, with who knew what kinds of threats hanging around...

Kagome jarred him from his tempestuous thoughts by tugging his hand, pulling him up the first step. "Don't worry about anything. My family will love you; they're good people."

The smile she gave him was meant to be reassuring and, though he didn't buy it completely, he wasn't a coward (and was miffed that she'd even _thought_ he would be worrying, let alone that she was right); he hadn't come all this way to back down now. Besides, if Kagome had grown up in this household then perhaps it wouldn't be entirely bad. He almost started at the thought but then mentally shrugged. It's not like he'd said it out loud and there wasn't anybody in the area who could read his mind so he was safe.

He trudged awkwardly up the stairs behind her but his impatience won out and in a flurry of motion he caught her up and jumped the remaining distance. Kagome was torn between trying to push her heart back down from where it had taken up residence in her throat and looking in amazement between his face and the spot they'd been dozens of steps lower only seconds prior. Inuyasha chose to ignore her reaction and started toward the main building on the shrine grounds which he assumed must also be her house, stopping only when he reached the door to finally set her down.

She sent him one last quizzical glance before rushing inside, where he only assumed he was supposed to follow after closing the door, and got completely caught up in the whirlwind that was her family. He was able to identify her mother, grandfather, and little brother, from the rundown she'd given him on what he could more or less expect at her home. They were flocked around her as though they hadn't seen her in years, not just four weeks, and were bombarding the poor girl with three separate but simultaneous strings of questions. His ears flattened reflexively against his head at the clamor of the invasive racket.

Suddenly the little boy spied him and at his exclamation the quartet turned to face him where he'd been forgotten for the moment, lurking in the doorway. When he didn't immediately start forward Kagome walked back over to him, her face gentle, and grabbed his hand to bring him over to meet her family. Even if he'd tried he wouldn't have been able to express his gratitude at her keeping her hand in his and grounding him during the tense introductions.

The boy and old man were immediately shooed away by Mrs. Higurashi as she assumed he would be more comfortable meeting them individually than feeling outnumbered. She smiled at him in a way that let him know immediately where Kagome had gotten that particular affectation.

"How was your trip here?"

Inuyasha made a noncommittal sound, head swiveling as he took in all the aspects of the room both to gauge its safety and exit routes but also for simple curiosity's sake.

Kagome nudged his ribs with her elbow but answered for him anyway. "It was fine, mama, though his first time on a train was bound to be a bit traumatizing."

"It was _not_ traumatizing wench!" He glowered at her.

_Well,_ she thought, _that certainly got a reaction out of him_. She smirked up at his seething face, minutely proud that she'd pulled the expected retort from him. As though he'd just recalled they had an audience in her mother, one he didn't know and had to live with for the next month no less, he crossed his arms with his typical, "Keh," though Kagome couldn't help but notice a faint spattering of pink tinge across his cheeks from his outburst.

Mrs. Higurashi must have noticed as well because she was smiling even more widely. "Since you are the guest of honor this evening, Inuyasha, why don't you tell me what you would like for dinner?"

He took a long look at her, eyes narrowed as though looking for the trick in the question. When he didn't sense any trace of humor or duplicity, though, his gaze lost its intensity and he became almost hesitant. There still had to be _some_ kind of catch. No one opened up her house this much to a stranger, let alone a hanyou. Hell, he didn't even know what food she might have, and since his food was always prepared for him in the Shrine cafeteria he didn't know what was expensive (though he was sure he'd seen precious little of that in his day) and what wasn't. Hadn't Kagome bought a whole load of that ramen stuff because it was cheap? It tasted damn good too…

Before he could talk himself out of changing his mind he blurted out his answer. "Ramen?!"

His voice, tightened in discomfort, exploded with enough force that Mrs. Higurashi actually jumped, but at the slight question in his tone she lowered her hand from her chest, smiled at him yet again – _did the woman's lips ever freeze like that?_ – and walked to the kitchen to rummage through her cupboards. A moment filled with riffling sounds later, a quick sound of triumph, and she returned carrying the proffered items in her hands and deposited them on the table with a thump.

"Now you two, why don't you go outside while I'm starting dinner and grandpa can show you where you'll be staying?"

Kagome shot her mom a confused look. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh my goodness, I hadn't even told you about our surprise yet. We converted part of one of the old storage sheds into a private room for you. Granted the bathroom is tiny - we picked one of the outbuildings with running water so that you actually have one though, without having to wait another couple days for it to be plumbed in. But the bedroom is decent sized, and quite nicely decorated if I may add, and that way we won't be in each other's way."

Inuyasha immediately seized up at her side, his grip on her hand tightening, and she knew instantly what he'd assumed. "I'm sure it's not like that," she tried to assure him, but he wasn't looking any less rigid.

"Not like what?" her mother asked, glancing between the two as if to pick up on their silent signals.

"That you don't want a filthy hanyou like me in your house," he bit off, near to spitting in his anger and self-contempt.

To both his and Kagome's surprise, Mrs. Higurashi burst out laughing. "Oh my, Inuyasha, but you are a hoot." Wiping tears from her eyes, she ignored the looks from the two that clearly questioned her sanity. "You obviously don't know us at all, but I'm sure you'll learn."

When her joviality had run its course she stepped up to him, placing a hand on his arm as she let the sincerity and seriousness of her words show on her face. She paid no attention to the way he startled at the contact, having heard some of his history from her daughter, nor the way he stared at her hand like it was an alien object he had no idea what to do with. "In this household you are judged by how you act, not by what kind of blood you carry inside of you."

His amazement of the woman was doubled by the fact that she hadn't said he'd receive no judgment at all, that she'd let everything slide on pity – as he always feared – but that he would be known and treated as he deserved based on _who he was_, not some large, overhanging phantom he had no control over. He would be treated like an individual, like everyone else.

His skepticism must have started to show through because she stepped back and the wry humor was back on her face. "No, the reason we're placing you two outside is because based on the activities the two of you will be involved in I assumed you would enjoy your privacy."

"Mother!" Kagome stamped her foot, red faced.

"Besides, that is something I really do not need to have details about and I like my sleep as much as anyone else and do not wish to have it interrupted due to any of your more, ah, _lively_ endeavors."

Inuyasha felt himself loosening around this woman and almost outright snickered at Kagome's abject mortification. For the moment though he was worried this all might be a dream. Deciding that if it was, he better make as much use of it as possible before waking, he hastily started towing Kagome out the door behind him in search of their room, Mrs. Higurashi watching from behind, mirthful eyes twinkling.

They were out the door already when Kagome heard her mother calling after her, the slightly worried tone giving her pause, and when Inuyasha turned to follow her back inside she gave him a peck on the cheek and. Knowing she'd have to keep him occupied to prevent his tailing her, she asked him to check out the room for them. He merely grunted and turned back around, stalking across the courtyard to where she indicated their makeshift abode would be.

Kagome hurried inside, worried to leave Inuyasha to his own devices for too long in a new place.

"Oh good dear, you heard me," her mom said quietly from the doorway. "I just wanted to remind you about your grandfather and how he can sometimes go on his rampages about youkai. He's perfectly harmless, as you well know, but you might want to warn your friend…" Mrs. Higurashi trailed off and Kagome's eyes filled with horror as a growl filled the space behind her. Without a word to her mother she whirled and ran off in the direction she'd sent Inuyasha.

She found him not a moment later, covered in ineffective ofuda, claws raised at her glaring grandfather. She didn't think, she just reacted.

"Osuwari!"

Even as she said it she knew it was probably the wrong thing to do but couldn't think of anything else to diffuse the situation. She immediately ran over to Inuyasha, bending over him to assess the damage, but when it didn't look like he'd be moving anytime soon she rounded on the man standing behind her.

"Jii-chan! How could you?!" she growled, doing a decent imitation of Inuyasha's mood just seconds prior, indicating the holy papers fluttering slightly in the breeze. "He's our Tetsudai, our honored guest – you can't attack him like that!"

"But he's part youkai! I was trying to do him a favor and purge the beast out of him so he could be _full-_human and live like a civilized individual."

Kagome glowered at him, turning her back to kneel at Inuyasha's side. "There's no 'beast' in him, jii-chan; he's perfectly _civilized_ just the way he is."

"He was about to attack me!"

"You attacked him first!"

There was a silent pause where both parties fumed, but finally the older man's will finally bent slightly when he saw the way she was positively fussing over the hanyou, obviously slightly worried. "Maybe I...shouldn't have acted so on our first meeting," he said grudgingly, but then turning to Inuyasha he warned, "but if you harm one hair on my granddaughter's head you'll answer to me, you hear?"

Kagome knew that was as close to an apology as they'd get so did nothing more than sigh when her grandfather started back toward the main house. Crouching low, putting her face near his, she slowly reached for Inuyasha's head. "I'm sorry about him. He doesn't mean anything by it. He's harmless, really – "

"Says who?" he cut her off, cocking his head slightly to look at her. "He acts out of ignorance or disgust or whatever and I'm the one who gets flattened." She knew he was right, and furthermore, that _she_ was the one who'd seen to it.

"Anything I can do to make it up to you?"

A calculating look came swiftly to his eyes and as his gaze bore into hers he bellowed, "Hey old man, you hear me?"

"What do you want, young'un?" her grandfather griped back, having just made it to the doorway on his aching joints.

"Kagome and I aren't coming out for a couple days. Make sure to bring our food over to our room and leave us alone. Got it?"

The older man started to complain but when Kagome got past her shock at Inuyasha's demand she turned to peg her jii-chan with a glare, reminding him that the current predicament was started by him, and she only heard muted grumblings as he shuffled through the door. The way Inuyasha's ears were shifting she guessed he could make out the words but it didn't look as if he'd be sharing with her.

Picking himself up he pulled her roughly to her feet and, grabbing her hand fully in his, led her off toward their newly appointed quarters, pausing only when he realized he wasn't sure _exactly_ where he was supposed to go and tugging her in front of him. Arriving in the room he didn't even allow her a moment to take in the changes her family had made; he simply closed the door, locked it, and pounced.

* * *

The first any of her family saw of the two of them again was a full four days later, after they'd christened every available square inch in their spartan bedroom and tiny adjoining bathroom. Her mother had clucked her tongue and immediately forced them to eat copious amounts of food, for though they both glowed with contentment there were most definitely dark circles under her daughter's eyes.

Kagome, as her mother noticed, hadn't gotten much sleep, but she didn't mourn the loss. Quite the opposite, she reveled in it. The first thing Inuyasha told her that first night, once they had paused and were still long enough to attempt speaking again, was that since she bought an entire month with him there would be no more one-hour time constraints. Then of course his eyes had gleamed and he'd informed her that he intended to make up for every single night that he'd been forced to end earlier than desired – so she'd better be prepared to keep up.

She had, even giving him a run for his money, but judging from the faces around the breakfast table this day – from her grandfather's glower to her mother's smug, knowing smile, to her brother's blush and avoidant gaze – it was obvious her family knew _exactly_ what they'd been up to, perhaps even hearing one of their more enthusiastic endeavors, though she cringed at that thought. There were just some things a family wasn't supposed to share. Then again, most families didn't bring home their own Tetsudai either, so she figured they'd make do.

Still, everyone got over the initial awkwardness quickly. Inuyasha had somehow loosened up a great deal around her family, which she could only attribute to the heavy satiation and relaxation that must be plaguing him as much as it was her. He was still snarly and aggressive, particularly with her grandfather, but though the fights were annoying it warmed her heart that he felt free enough in her home to speak his mind and be himself.

When it came out at a subsequent meal that Inuyasha had never once played a video game Souta stared at him in horror, then quickly jumped on the idea of having a live-in play buddy, one he could beat pitifully since the hanyou had no prior experience. Little could he predict that his pupil would be so adept that he started whooping him soundly after only one day's practice, and amusement turned to adoration. The boy skulked around so much in his trail that Kagome would have to literally chase him away from their room when it was time for what they still termed their 'worship ritual'. And though Inuyasha tried to feign irritation at the blatant hero-worship she could see how much it secretly pleased him.

Things were going along swimmingly, which of course meant that fate had to change something soon.

* * *

Kagome and Inuyasha had finally escaped the wiles of her family for a moment to catch a breath of fresh air by themselves. After those first couple days they hadn't had much chance to simply be in each other's presence and she, for one, was craving some quiet solitude with the friend who was quickly growing in her esteem.

She led him deeper into the forest her family maintained on the back of their property, knowing that he'd like the open land, surrounded by nature with not a single other being or building in sight. She felt gratified when she saw him close his eyes and breathe in deeply, taking in the clean air with only the faintest hint of city smells, but when he opened his eyes and pegged them on her there was a heat in them that had nothing to do with the setting – or perhaps _everything_ to do with it.

Jerking abruptly, she backed up until she felt a tree behind her, then with a wry smile and a quirk of her head she turned and fled. Inuyasha was confused for a moment until he saw her turn her head and laugh, finally noticing that she was barely managing a jog. No, she had no desire to get away from him at all.

And suddenly everything in him released.

He bolted forward but kept to either side of her, boxing her in but never impeding her progress, enjoying the game and build up of anticipation more than anything he could remember. He found he was actually having fun stalking her like his prey and thrilled in the control he had, that he could end this silly chase at any time, exhilarated that she was laughing and playing because of _him_.

She ran into a dense copse of trees where she could go no further without getting ripped up by the thick thorny bushes and turned to find him closing in on her. He prowled in slowly, eyes gleaming, and her smile died on her lips and her gaze turned smoldering. Though the chase hadn't winded him at all his breathing was harsh, excited and pleased as he was in winning their little game. She wanted him so badly in that moment she could taste it but she loved the heightened tension and was determined to draw it out, so even as he advanced she backed away until she abutted another tree.

Then she waited.

The friction was so thick in the air she thought she might suffocate on it if he didn't pick up his pace; as it was her heart was beating rapidly in her throat and she couldn't have willed herself to move to him if she'd tried.

Inuyasha moved forward in a haze, blind and deaf to all sensations other than the roar of blood in his ears, the vision of beauty standing before him. Without realizing it he'd stopped while still a few feet away from her, just taking in the moment, but after hearing her small growl of frustration and impatience at his lack of momentum he sprung to life.

There was no preamble at all. He jumped – no _pounced_ Kagome thought fit better – over the last remaining distance, and before she knew it she was wedged between his body and the thick trunk of the tree, the bark digging into her back through her shirt. She couldn't bring herself to care though, and as cloth was pulled away and he melted into her she didn't notice the abrasive stinging as anything other than another burst of adrenaline running through her blood. She relished the raw energy he poured into her and gave back as good as she got until they were bonelessly sated, sliding to the forest floor in a tangled mess of limbs, short puffs of breath ruffling each other's hair.

Inuyasha sent one smug, utterly relaxed grin up at her before his head collapsed onto her chest, sweaty forehead sticking to the skin under her collarbone. It took him a few moments to come back to himself but he was dimly aware that something wasn't right. A niggling sensation was building in the back of his mind until it thrust itself forward into his consciousness with a giant leap after one deep inhalation.

"You're bleeding." He spat the words like an accusation and Kagome, who was still too happy to register the specifics of his words and just nodded, mumbling a sleepy affirmation.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He grabbed her by the arms and pushed her back from him so he could see her and the look on her face snapped the last of her lethargy from her. He looked stricken and, if she wasn't mistaken, his face was paler than normal – which was especially unusual considering he'd normally still be flushed from what they'd just done. She wasn't sure what the problem was but knew she'd do anything to wipe that expression from him.

She put her hands to his face and smiled gently. "In case you didn't notice, I was enjoying myself thoroughly. I don't mind at all that I got a little scratched during all the fun."

From the amount of blood in the air he wasn't put off by her usage of the term 'scratch.' "Let me see," he growled.

Knowing there was no use arguing as he could just as easily flip her around himself she decided to oblige his temper and stood to turn. Her entire back was reddened from hips to shoulders from where _he'd_ pulled her shirt up and pushed her against the tree. Mostly it was just rubbed raw but there were some deeper scratches and cuts that had bled out. She was sure she'd be sore for a couple days, perhaps stiff from any spots that might scab over, but the first was nothing new for her after one of their trysts. Still, Inuyasha looked as though the world had just come to a stop.

"Oh, for goodness sake, I'm not that fragile; stop looking at me like I'm going to drop dead. I'm not going to break and can handle a little blood loss. Besides, this is nothing compared to anything you've gone through so don't freak out about it."

"What the hell do you mean you're not fragile?! In case you haven't noticed, wench, I'm _hanyou, _while you're a weak little human. I could have hurt you. I _did_ hurt you."

He stood suddenly, hurriedly dressing her and only succeeding in pulling her skirt and bra back into order before shoving her shirt into her arms, then put his shoulder to her stomach and lifted her off the ground.

"Inuyasha!" she gasped, vainly trying to both keep her skirt from flying up and keep herself from falling out of her flimsy, insubstantial bra (the kind she'd taken to wearing only for his benefit, she thought snidely), covering whatever else she could with the shirt she carried, all while attempting to pull on his hair enough to get him to release her. "What do you think you are doing?"

"Taking you home to get you fixed."

She nearly went cross-eyed at that response. Being held upside down and having one's head bounced against a back – albeit it a very nice, attractive, nicely muscled back – certainly didn't help. He could not seriously mean to take her to her mother dressed like she was; there was no way she'd ever live down the mortification.

"Do you really want my family to see me like this?" she demanded, outraged at his presumption.

He stiffened, his desire to get Kagome properly seen to warring with his pride and having to admit his folly to her family, and finally he caved to her wishes.

"Fine, I'll fix you myself. You have stuff in that room of yours?"

She thought about it. There hadn't exactly been much time to explore the deeper recesses of their room, bathroom, and the storage building it was part of, but with her grandfather's propensity for collecting random junk she was sure there'd be something of use laying around. She didn't bother to voice her opinion that she didn't need bandaging, knowing he'd just bulldoze by that thought anyhow.

"I'm sure there's something. If nothing else I can tell you where supplies are in the main house." He stiffened again and Kagome guessed he wouldn't want to explain to her family why he needed the bandages, but she'd cross that hurdle if it arose.

At that moment she couldn't bring herself to care as she was suddenly paralyzed with the fear of discovery as they stepped from the forest into the courtyard. She didn't think she could face anyone if they found her as she was displayed over Inuyasha's shoulder. Luckily they made it into their room with no mishaps. He located some gauze and some old sticky ointment quickly and began to work on her back, stripping her completely to make sure he didn't miss a single scratch anywhere.

She almost could have sunk into the mattress and relaxed at the touch of his hands, alternating between fierce and gentle, but she could all too clearly picture the way he must be mentally berating himself. Had she known he'd blow things so out of proportion she might have stopped things before they could go too far, but she'd had _fun_, damn it, and so had he!

He propped her up on the bed until she was sitting and wrapped the bandages all the way around her stomach in order to cover her back and, while she was touched, she'd had enough.

"Inuyasha, I want you to stop beating yourself up right now."

"What makes you think you know what I'm doing? Besides, if your ningen bodies weren't so pathetically shielded maybe things like this wouldn't happen."

He glared at her as if she had no idea what was going on in his head but sometimes he was still easy for her to read. It was now though that she understood there was something much deeper to this issue. However, given that she was sure he wasn't about to explain the problem to her she just had to go on fixing what she could for the moment. She'd have to try figuring out the recesses of his psyche another time.

"I _enjoyed_ what we did, so what's the problem? If I _liked_ it there's nothing for you to feel guilty about. Please…just tell me you're alright?" she finally pleaded, all the vinegar taken out of her.

"I'm not the one who got hurt."

His refusal to answer lit a final fire inside her though and she snapped at him briefly. "You didn't enjoy what we did then, weren't excited by it at all? Was I the only one taking pleasure in the moment out there?"

He flinched slightly, only noticeable to her because his hands were still on his skin, but he still stubbornly refused to concede her point.

Sighing, she resigned herself to putting up with an ancy hanyou for the next few days until she could finally coax him out of his mood.

Unfortunately, he more than just lived up to her expectations. From that point on he treated her like she was made of china and sometimes she just wanted to pull on her hair and scream in frustration. The only time he argued with her was when she brought up his sour temperament; other than that he acted as if he suddenly had the same opinion as her on absolutely everything. It was even to where all the wild edge, spunk, and spontaneity had gone out of their nights and every action, every touch was a study in gentility.

Though the majority of the time that annoyed her she had to admit that inwardly she _sometimes_ liked it. She loved the passion he evoked in her but this rare glimpse into his tender side made a small corner of her heart melt...when it wasn't still raging at him for thinking she was too weak to take anything more - as if she hadn't proven so and _done_ so time and time again with him already.

She had wracked her mind about how to help get him past this hurdle and nothing seemed to help – it was as if this tiny infraction had traumatized a small portion of him and she didn't know what to do.

While she wasn't sure she could say she'd ever get _used_ to his moods she knew how he reacted. He had a tendency to hold onto things and drag them out for days but in the time she'd known him he always got over it and moved on. This situation was a phenomenon in that it was nearly the exact opposite. As the days passed he seemed to get even more withdrawn and irritable and she was at a complete loss as to what to do.

Things came to a head in the middle of their third week back. Inuyasha had been sulking all day, alternately grousing and picking fights for no reason, to the point where Kagome had finally sent him out of the kitchen where she was cooking dinner with her mother. He grumbled all the way back to their room and when she came to get him to eat she found he'd locked the door on her.

She fumed; of all the ridiculous things! He was acting downright childish. Calling him brought no response until she started banging on the door hard enough she worried the fragile workmanship would give. Apparently he must have had the same thought because he finally deigned to answer with a short, "Go away!"

He didn't know her temperament very well if he thought that command would help his cause at all. She left the door long enough to locate the toolbox hidden in one of the back recesses of the storage room then dug out a flathead screwdriver and put it to the doorjamb. It was a simple enough way to get a door open - sliding the bolt open with the tool, and both she and Souta had learned the trick relatively young as many of the vast array of rooms in the storage sheds tended to get 'accidentally' locked - but it had been at least a year since she'd had to do this. After a couple fumbled attempts she managed to get the door open but stopped only a foot inside the room. A darkened room with Inuyasha sitting in the middle of the bed with a blanket wrapped around him, covering his head, was certainly not what she'd expected to see on the other side.

Hesitantly she made her way over to his side, valiantly ignoring all his snarls and insults to get her to leave. She sat on the bed next to him and gently pulled at the blanket, taking her time with it when he refused to give it up easily. Slowly she got it lowered to his shoulders and gasped at what she saw, eyes widening as he turned his face toward her.

Inuyasha was human.

* * *

**A/N: **Not thrilled with this chapter but oh well. It was originally supposed to be longer but the excess is going into chapter 11. I didn't think anyone would want to read a 30+ page chapter.

Again, of course, thanks to Akihana for doing beta this chapter and all my lovely reviewers who keep me encouraged to write. Love ya ^_-

Much appreciation to everyone who reviewed ^_^


	12. Affliction

Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler

* * *

**Chapter 12: Affliction**  
- a state of pain, distress, or grief primarily due to adversity; misery  
- a cause of mental or bodily pain, as loss or persecution.

* * *

The black hair and dark eyes were unmistakable: Inuyasha was human. But how was that possible?

Tentatively Kagome skimmed a finger along the blanket still draped across his shoulders; sensing the heightened tension coursing through his body, she made her movements as calm and smooth as possible, trying to let him know she wasn't going to force him into anything.

He relaxed fractionally and she moved her hand to his hair, intrigued by the slight change in texture – and slightly amused that it was as tangled as ever, if not more so. Her fingers trailed down and encountered the tip of an ear and he started, staring at her more intently and sliding away. She pulled back, willing to give him the space if he needed it, and turning her hand over she looked at it as if she could see the residual imprint from the new appendage. She'd been just as surprised as he at the contact since she was used to feeling flat skin on the sides of his face.

"How long are you going to remain human?" Her voice sounded unnaturally loud in the deep silence of the room.

He shook his head, unwilling to give out anymore information about what made him most vulnerable, and she took his hand, ignoring his half-hearted tugs. "Look, I need to know what to tell my family to keep them away and to prevent them from asking after you. I do assume you wouldn't like them to know?" She raised an eyebrow and he merely looked away, grunting, and she couldn't help but smile at that. It was the most Inuyasha-like behavior she'd seen out of him all night.

Standing, she wrapped her arms around him and kissed the top of his head, something he would never allow under normal circumstances. Despite everything else he still didn't like her to touch the sensitive ears on top of his head but as of now he had no excuse. She couldn't grin at her victory though when she felt how stiffly he still held himself.

"I'm going to go get some food from the house and then I'll be right back, ok?"

He immediately bolted upright. "No, don't leave."

She knew better from the look on his face than to think it was because he so desperately wanted her presence. Instead he was virtually brimming with paranoia about what she would do once outside that little room with information so vital to him. Apparently though he could likewise tell from her face that she would do as she wished and as her Tetsudai he technically had to go along with her wishes, though that wouldn't have prevented him from fighting with her tooth-and-nail if he thought it would make a difference.

"I'm getting us food; we both need it. Besides, if I don't go back over then Mama or Souta will come over here to check on us and I doubt that's something you want."

He grudgingly had to concede her point though that didn't mean he liked it, especially now that he wouldn't have any chance of hearing anything going on over there in the main building.

"I'll only be a bit and you can watch from the window if you're so worried about it."

Her family had put a crude window in the wall when converting it into a living space and, while it wasn't pretty, it kept the room from getting so stifling hot during the day. At the moment, though, Inuyasha looked at it like it was a venomous snake.

"All right, all right, I get it. Bundle up on the bed if that's what you want and I'll be right back."

"What will you tell them?" he suddenly asked. The thought of further humiliation at the hands of whatever excuse she made didn't improve his mood at all.

She pursed her lips a moment then decided to stall and gather her thoughts by putting the doorknob back in place. "Not sure. Maybe something about something you're setting up in here…or I can just smile mysteriously," she grinned at the thought of herself being able to pull off that feat, "and let them think what they will. After all, with what we do in here at night I doubt they'll want much information."

At her wink Inuyasha felt himself relax marginally. She wasn't acting any differently around him at all but he wouldn't allow himself to hope for anything because disappointment and failure were always riding close on its heels.

"Until morning, then. I'll remain human until morning."

* * *

Kagome closed the door behind her and immediately went grim. How on earth had this happened? Why did Inuyasha turn human? This must have happened before since he knew how long it would last, so what did he do at the Shrine when he changed? She couldn't imagine him letting those sadistic women find out about it but what could he do?

She'd reached the door to her house before she balked. What was she supposed to tell her family?

She had to go with the first thing that popped into her head because at that moment Souta burst through the door, obviously on his way to go summon them for dinner. Pasting on her most brilliant smile she breezed her way into the kitchen and started piling food onto two plates.

"Ne, onee-chan, where's Inuyasha?"

Figuring the less she said about it the better she merely raised the second plate in demonstration.

"Is he sick?"

Despite her quick negative he was still half-way to the door before she caught him. When he looked back at her it was plain to see that he was merely looking for any excuse to visit the hanyou – he must have missed him. Perhaps they had been a little overzealous in their avoidance of her little brother the last couple days. She'd make a note of it to have Inuyasha spend some time with him tomorrow or the day after. But for now she had to choose her words carefully to keep her family from becoming suspicious.

"He's setting up a surprise for me - "

"Oh cool!" Souta exclaimed, tugging on the arm still clasped in her hand. "Can I see?"

"No!" Taking a quick breath to calm herself she lowered her voice to prevent the panic from leaking out. "No, this is specifically for me and _not_ the kind of thing you want to see…"

She trailed off meaningfully and smirked a bit hoping he would take the bait. "What do you – oh – oh!" He stared at her, vaguely horrified, and she was incredibly thankful he was still at an age where sex was gross and taboo and not something he would ask details about – at least, not from his sister.

Kagome had no sooner let go of his arm when her mother walked into the kitchen, her grandfather trailing behind, dusty from whatever work he'd just been doing before her mother fetched him. "What are you two shouting about in here?" she asked, then looking around she continued, "And where's Inuyasha?"

She barely contained the groan that threatened to escape. Everyone, including she herself, knew she was a horrible liar and her mother would be harder to get past than her naïve little brother. Luckily, said brother spoke up in her place.

"He's setting up something _special_ for her," giving the sentence a note of derision only possible by a pre-pubescent boy.

Her mother's gaze shifted to her and she made a curious sound. "Oh really?" Crossing her arms she smiled at her daughter who was furiously hoping she wasn't as shaky as she felt.

"Don't bother pumping me for details. First of all it's a surprise and I don't know, and second I already told you that I'm not telling you about anything that happens inside that room."

"Fine then, let me help you." From the growing smile on her mother's face Kagome really didn't want to guess at the scenarios running through her mind. She simply counted herself lucky to be getting out of there so quickly and with little fuss. Holding the two plates of food she protested there was enough already to feed a small army but Mrs. Higurashi continued to pile more on, insisting they would need all the strength they could get for the coming night. Again, Kagome wished to be kept unaware of her mom's mind.

Grabbing the plates before they'd be too heavy to lift she headed for the door, the older woman opening it for her then placing a light kiss on the top of her head. "Now have fun."

Rolling her eyes she made her way across the courtyard as quickly as possible then realized her problem as the door to her room loomed in front of her, shut tight.

"Inuyasha," she hissed, then realizing that he might not be able to hear as well in his human state she spoke again, louder this time. "Inuyasha, open the door. I can't do it with all this food in my hands."

She got no response and resigned herself to the fact that she probably wasn't going to so she placed one plate on the ground – that one was going to be his for not letting her in – then wheedled the door open, putting her weight into it as it sometimes had a nasty tendency to stick.

Finally getting all the food inside with her, the door locked tight behind her, she shoved a plate in Inuyasha's face. When he ignored it she nearly growled. "I did not juggle this all the way out here so you could pretend you're not hungry. You're _always_ hungry, so if you don't eat on your own then I'm going to force feed you just like you did me."

He glared at her but took the food, shoveling it in so that more ended up on his clothes and the bed than in his mouth. Sighing in exasperation she tucked into her own meal which they completed in silence.

Dead air – especially _uncomfortable_ dead air – was not something that Kagome dealt with well. When he still didn't say a word to her she was determined to draw him out, even if it meant getting his anger first.

"I assume this has happened before?"

He nodded.

"How often?"

He ignored her.

"Why does this happen?"

"You sure are a nosy wench, aren't you?" he snapped at her.

"Yes, I am. You're just now figuring this out?" She was sure her sarcasm wasn't helping the situation but she couldn't help it.

He turned away from her but she was fed up. Moving from the chair she'd eaten in, she climbed onto the bed, all but on top of him, forcing him to acknowledge her. "Inuyasha, I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying here with you all night, whether you like it or not, and I don't know what you're so worried about. You're human for a night, so what? I'm human all the time and I'm not cowering away."

"I'm not cowering," he shot back.

"Sure looks like it to me." She raised an eyebrow at him but suddenly decided this wasn't where she wanted to go with things. He was obviously uncomfortable and her confrontation wasn't helping. She knew he didn't trust her fully, that perhaps he'd never be able to, so trying to drag information out of him would only complicate things. She didn't have to know to let him know she cared.

Carefully she lowered herself down to the mattress behind him and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm sorry," she whispered and missed the look of surprise on his face. "I shouldn't try to force you to tell me anything you don't want to. I just want you to know that I'm here for you and I promise to keep this secret if you want me to."

His soft "Keh" carried through the room, scoffing at her thought that he needed comfort, but she felt him relax in her arms and was glad for it. They lay like that for a little while, just luxuriating in the soft warmth of each other, when there was a knock at the door.

"Go away," Kagome called, irritated that her family would come over despite her insinuations. Maybe Souta missed the two of them more than she thought?

"C'mon, open up," the voice called, "I haven't got all night." Kagome shot upright in the bed. That almost sounded like...but it couldn't be._Kazuma?_ What on earth was _he_ doing there?

"Hold on a minute," she yelled, slight panic edging her mind. She threw the blanket back over Inuyasha and told him to stay out of sight. "I'll find out what he wants and send him on his way. Make sure you stay here, no matter what."

Tidying herself up she had second thoughts and ran her hands wild through her hair, then taking a deep breath she opened the door to face him, shutting herself alone with him in the courtyard as she made sure the knob was firmly fixed in place again.

"K-Kazuma?" Her mind hadn't been playing tricks on her; it really _was _him. But why in the world...?

Kagome stared at the Shrine worker, confusion and panic causing her heart to beat uncontrollably and her mind to race.

"W-what are you doing here?" she stammered.

"Hi Kagome. How are you doing? It's nice to see you too." He grinned, letting her know he wasn't seriously reprimanding her - at least not entirely - but she still blushed.

"Sorry," she pushed out. Still, worry over Inuyasha's predicament prevented her from utilizing further manners. "But why are you at my house? How do you even know where I live?"

"I'm here to check up on you, Kagome," he said, grinning widely. "You didn't think we lent out our precious tetsudai without making sure you weren't breaking the merchandise while you had 'em, now did you?"

At her stunned look he chortled. "I need to make sure the bastard is still alive and relatively in one piece. And if he is, I need to make sure he is behaving properly and doing everything he can to please his client."

He waggled his eyebrows in a crudely suggestive manner, and at Kagome's face of disgust he merely shrugged. Oh, why did this have to be happening tonight of all nights?

Managing an overly-dramatic, put upon sigh, she moved to her left, tapping on the window. "Inuyasha?" she called. Sure, he didn't have his superior hearing at the moment, but she was sure his paranoia would have him carefully following everything happening outside as closely as his muted senses would let him.

Still, she was relieved when he answered her through the window with a rough, "Yeah." She'd half-expected him to stay silent, trying to hide his presence from Kazuma, but apparently he had enough faith in her to let her deal with the situation. Either that or he was busy trying to carve himself an escape hole in one of the walls.

The glass muffled his voice and the curtains hid him from view, but his gruff tone carried well. There was no way Kazuma would be able to mistake him for anyone else. Raising an eyebrow as if to say, 'See?' she rolled her eyes when he just shrugged again.

Turning back to the window, she called, "Are you sure that's you in there and not some imposter?"

His snort was all the answer needed, but he still replied, "Of course woman."

Kazuma leveled a look at her. "You let him talk to you like that?"

She waved the question away without even bothering to turn back to him. "Are you behaving yourself?" she continued pestering the window. "Do you have any complaint you'd like to lodge with Kazuma here?"

"Everything's all right, all right!"

Kagome spun to Kazuma, a too perky smile on her lips. "There, you see? We're all good here. Thanks for coming to check though.

He clicked his tongue at her. "Rules are rules, Kagome. As lamentable as it is, I need to actually see the mutt."

"No!" she cried before catching herself. She cleared her throat. "I mean, no," she repeated in a more normal voice. "There's no way I'm letting you - or anyone - in there to see such a private part of my life. Besides, since we brought home an honored tetsudai, the room has been purified to further please the kami and aid in our worship reaching their ears. If you go in we'll have to re-purify it and that's a waste of time and money."

"Fine then, have Inuyasha come out here."

"I don't think so," she said flatly. With a plaintiff edge to her voice she continued, "I don't want you having any insight into how things are for me behind closed doors." At the glint in his eye, she amended, "Well, any more than you already know, anyhow. I'm a rather private person about that kind of stuff. While I'm sure some of his other clients are, I'm no exhibitionist. Besides, he's a little, erm, tied up at the moment."

She didn't have to fake the blush that stained her cheeks. Just thinking about Inuyasha actually being in that particular situation would've done it, but having to discuss such scenarios, even if they were made up at the moment, embarrassed the heck out of her.

"I'm sorry, Kagome," he said glibly, not sounding sorry at all, "but rules are rules. I need to see him. Whatever it is that you're hiding could be detrimental to his health!" he added, all insouciant innocence.

"Since when do you care so much about rules? I seem to remember a certain someone leaving out most of them when teaching me about how the Shrine runs."

Really, why was he being so pushy on this? He was probably just being a pervert and wanted to see her supposed set up so he could either tease her about it later or fantasize about it later. Still, he was being just too darned dogged.

He smiled. "Some rules are more appealing, or even amusing, than others."

Kagome grit her teeth. Kazuma sure was being something else today.

"So what would it take for you to look the other way? For a friend?" She tried to ask as sweetly as possible but she was sure some of her annoyance must've leaded into her voice, given the amused expression he was wearing.

"For a friend, huh? Well I suppose just this once I could let it slide for a kiss."

She blinked at him. "A kiss?"

"A kiss," he confirmed.

Score one for the pervert argument.

She really didn't want to, but she could almost feel the nervousness flooding through the window from Inuyasha. In the end she supposed it really wasn't that big of a deal.

"All right, fine."

He grinned lasciviously, stepping forward and pressing his lips against hers almost before she'd finished speaking.

Knowing Kazuma she hadn't expected it to be a small peck, a one-second kiss, but still she was surprised when his hands started roaming. Suddenly they were everywhere, on just the very edge of propriety and where he could probably tell she'd punch him if he took more liberties, but something niggled in the back of her brain, telling her there was something odd going on beyond just the obvious.

His hands slid up and down her arms and sides, but lightly, even if multiple times. When he fiddled with her hair he seemed to be almost meticulously brushing through it with his fingers.

He was sliding but not grabbing, touching without groping. It was almost like his mind was somewhere else and he'd completely forgotten she was there.

Suddenly it clicked and she went cold. He was trying to scent mark her. So that she would smell of him when she went to Inuyasha.

This whole charade wasn't even to try and get at her; while he was still being a pervert his entire aim was getting one in at Inuyasha.

More disgusted than she knew how to deal with she pushed him away, glaring at the lecherous, triumphant grin he leveled at her. Why did he have to try all the time to be such a prick to Inuyasha? Was it because he hated hanyou or did he just have a loathing for this one in particular? As absurd as it was, she hoped it was the latter. It'd be far better for him to dislike Inuyasha as a person than to be a prejudiced jerk who hated him simply because of his race. She was sure Inuyasha would prefer that too, as poor a choice as it was.

She resisted the urge to rub the back of her hand across her lips. She was going to have to talk a scalding hot shower after this anyhow, not to mention brush her teeth. A lot.

"Okay, fine," she said shortly. "You got what you wanted now leave."

Kazuma tapped his chin thoughtfully. "There seems to be something else I'm forgetting. Now what could it be? Ah!" he snapped his fingers. "That's right. Here." He dug in his pocket, producing a crumpled bit of paper.

"What is this?" she asked hesitantly. Anything coming unexpectedly from the Shrine made her nervous. Finally she had the delivery straightened enough to see it was an envelope with Inuyasha's name on it, and she recognized the cramped handwriting.

"Ryu?" Uncertainty laced her voice despite her recognition. Why on earth would Ryu give anything to Kazuma?

"Yeah, it's for the mutt there," he pointed for the door. "I was supposed to send it with the mail last week, but things being as they were..."

"You forgot," she said flatly.

"Maybe just a bit," he admitted unrepentantly. "Anyhow, the old man was adamant that I have it here by yesterday, so I figured I'd do the nice thing and come all the way out of my way to make sure it got delivered."

"A day late."

He sniffed. "Better than not at all."

A moment more of staring at the letter in her hands and the enormity of what he just _hadn't _told her hit her like a ton of bricks. "Do you mean to tell me that you were here just as a delivery boy and not doing a check up on us?"

His smug expression was all the confirmation she needed.

She ground her teeth. He'd actually gone out of his way to use her, and to get at Inuyasha to boot, and that was too much. Had he never considered her his friend or did his loathing for Inuyasha just trump all of that? Suddenly she just felt tired and defeated, and wanted nothing more than her hot shower.

"Goodbye, Kazuma," she said a firm voice that brooked no refusal, not here on her family's property, not here where he admitted to having no leverage. She realized as she spoke that she meant it in more way than one. There would be no going back from this, and she wondered what it would be like to see each other at the Shrine in the future.

To her relief he put up no fuss, merely giving her a proprietary little bow before taking his way off toward the steps, a whistle on his lips. Kagome just shook her head dumbfoundedly.

Staying outside a few minutes more she gave herself time to cool her head. What was done was done, the important thing was that she'd kept Inuyasha's secret like she'd promised. Granted, she could use a nice acid gargle, but in the end it was only a kiss. She supposed she could count herself lucky he hadn't asked for more but figured he knew her well enough to know she would refuse any requests that had detailed more than that.

Straightening out the letter one more time she headed inside and made her way back over to Inuyasha. He was still on the bed, staring at her with a strange expression, but she wasn't prepared to deal with him yet. Dropping the letter on the mattress she made her way to the bathroom, fixed on getting the taste of Kazuma out of her mouth and the scent of him off her skin. She shut the door before flicking on the light switch, squinting at the brightness after being in the dim courtyard and darkened room, then silently thanked her family again for redoing the plumbing out there. She'd never imagined she'd need it for this particular purpose, but it did come in handy.

Inuyasha switched his attention from the room Kagome had just disappeared into and picked up the letter, noting with increasing irritation that in his current form he actually had to turn on the light in order to read it.

_Inuyasha,_

_I know your night is coming up and you don't like people to know about it –_

Inuyasha scoffed. _Understatement of the month goes to Ryu,_ he thought wryly.

- _and I'm sure that despite all your efforts Kagome will find out, but _please _try to relax a bit for once. She's a good girl and you know it, otherwise you wouldn't have gone on this foolish trip with her in the first place. You must trust her somewhat already to let her place that damn rosary on you. Don't take everything out on her and snap at her. She's more sensitive than you know and has done a great deal for you already. _

Suddenly all he could hear was her talking to Kazuma outside, _kissing_ him damn it, and it took an effort of will to not raise his hands to his ears in an ineffectual attempt to block out the sounds.

_All this to say: try to remain calm. You're likely safer there than you ever were here, despite all the precautions I took for your sake. Enjoy the time you have left and see you back in a week and a half._

_Ryu_

_P.S. And Inuyasha…do try to have a bit of _fun _while you're out, all right?_

He did not want to envision the kind of face the older man had when penning that last line.

Grudgingly though he was to admit it, maybe the crazy old coot did have a point: every time Kagome was given a way to turn against him, to hurt him, she didn't. The girl must be crazy, but she didn't.

Still, he hadn't survived as long as he had by trusting others – that gave them entirely too much hold.

He couldn't make a complete exception – a lifetime of survival instincts couldn't be thrust aside – but maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't hurt to be a little more lenient with himself around her?

The bathroom door swung open and Inuyasha started, crumpling the paper he still gripped in his hand. What would she say if she knew the thoughts circling through his mind?

She didn't seem to care either way though as she strode past him without a glance and into the store room next door. He heard the sounds of boxes being shoved around and items being shuffled amid her muffled curses, which made him chuckle despite the circumstances.

She tumbled back into the room, disheveled, hair dripping, eyes blazing, and holding a pair of handcuffs. He immediately sobered. Damn him for getting carried away after reading Ryu's letter. No matter what, despite the peculiarity of tonight's circumstances, he was still her Tetsudai, bought and paid for, and had to do whatever she said short of letting himself be killed, no matter how stomach-churning or demeaning. Closing his eyes in frustration, resignation, and disappointed hopes, he fisted the rest of the paper and threw it against the opposing wall, wishing it had made a more satisfactory crunch when it hit.

Kagome stalked to the bed, eyes following the trajectory of the little paper ball, but couldn't bring her temper down enough to stand asking about it. She'd do that tomorrow, when her mind was functioning properly. Crawling up to the head of the bed, completely ignoring Inuyasha in the process, she locked one cuff around her wrist.

Inuyasha stared in muted wonder. What on earth was the crazy wench doing now? As he watched she threaded the metal chain through the pathetic looking iron headboard, placed her free wrists in the other cuff, and locked it into place. Lifting her head to look at him he swore there was liquid fire dripping from her eyes. He didn't even get the question out before she answered him.

"I'm tired of you tiptoeing around me, of you feeling like you have to worry about me and the kind of trust you can place in me. Most of all, I'm sick of the fact that you have a reason to do this in the first place." Her voice had a vicious edge to it he'd never heard before and she cut him off at the first move he made.

Heavens, but it still hurt that he couldn't believe in her. She knew that he really had no reason to, that one month with her couldn't eradicate a lifetime of cruelty, but that didn't always make it easier to swallow. What she wouldn't give sometimes to be able to get her hands on some of his clients (although if she were perfectly honest with herself she knew she wouldn't really be able to follow through on any of her threats - at least not the more satisfying ones). So she would do all she could for him in the here and now and hope it would help him somehow.

She tried to calm herself more before she spoke again but inwardly she was still seething. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm stuck here," she rattled the chain for emphasis, "and there's no key."

His eyes widened at that tidbit of information but she ignored his reaction. Plus, at the moment she was just really, really hoping she wouldn't have to use the bathroom all night.

"I'm not getting out of these until you're hanyou again and can break them. Until then I'm yours to do with as you please, only the same rules apply: no permanent damage. Other than that you can do anything you like – you can even ignore me if you want and go sulk in the other room."

He glared at her. He was most certainly not _sulking_.

It seemed as though her explanation was finished because she suddenly sagged, as though either taking on a heavy burden or letting all the piss and vinegar out of her, and then fumbled around until she could get her hands above her head and lie down. Making herself relax against the pillows she closed her eyes, determined to not pressure him into any particular reaction – though the idea of her _forcing_ him to do anything was humorous enough.

She felt his weight leave the bed and the glow behind her eyelids was snuffed out so she knew he'd turned out the lights. Waiting on baited breath she didn't hear anything, then the door clicked and she went limp against the comforter. It seemed he'd made his decision. Oh well, it wasn't that extraordinary, she decided. The poor guy probably never really got a night to himself so maybe he just needed this time alone. He could probably do with a rest from her anyhow. She tried to amuse herself with the thought that maybe she'd just exhausted him and his human form couldn't keep up, but it didn't work.

Just as she was giving herself up to the inevitability of the situation and an uncomfortable night with tingling arms, she heard the door click again. Her eyes snapped open and there he was, standing before her. "Inuyasha!" she cried in her surprise.

"Close your eyes," he told her. First she raised an eyebrow skeptically but then, remembering her avowal that tonight he was in charge, she did as directed. Dumping the supplies he'd garnered from the other room onto the table he picked up a long strip of cloth and made his way stealthily over to her. Tying the makeshift blindfold around her head he then directed her to test it.

"Can you see anything?" Unfortunately for her Kagome never had been able to tell lies convincingly so he had to adjust the bit of fabric two more times before he got it situated properly. He, on the other hand, was fervently grateful that she was a horrid liar. In this form he wasn't as in control of his emotions as he'd like and he didn't want to have to spend the night worried about his facial expressions or what she was reading from them.

He stood again, the mattress squeaking from his abrupt departure, as he went to shuffle through the things he'd pilfered from the storage room. His foray into the dusty recesses searching for bandages the prior week had been most useful as he'd discovered the little trinkets. He set up the mammoth supply of old and half-burned candles, though he had to pinch matches from their bathroom where Mrs. Higurashi had placed an aromatherapy candle. Only one go at that had taught Kagome that he most certainly did not appreciate anything so strong smelling, regardless of whether it was _'nice',_ as she said.

Still, he was glad for the older woman's foresight otherwise he'd probably have had to go without. He wanted to _see_ the flesh he planned to reveal soon, and be able to stare his fill without having to worry about how the mind attached to it would react.

Finally he picked up the pair of scissors, the very ones he'd cut the gauze with. His eyes ran over her outfit: she wore a t-shirt and loose-weave, drawstring pants – not stuff that would exactly be hard to get her out of, but he liked to have his fun. He planned to reveal her perfect skin inch by marvelous inch, kissing and nipping anything newly exposed, until she was all but begging for him. Drawing things out would make them so much more enjoyable.

Kagome flinched slightly at the first feel of cold metal against her stomach but melted immediately when it was replaced by the heat of his mouth. She sighed deeply, relaxing fully for the first time that night even as the first inklings of that thrilling tightness stirred in her belly. In no time at all she was biting her bottom lip to keep from giving in to the moans that threatened to burst from her. Tonight was Inuyasha's night; she had vowed not to give instruction of any kind and was determined to not let herself make a sound.

When he looked up and saw her restraint, though, he was having none of it. Reaching up he tugged her lip from between her teeth, caressing it lightly with his fingers, reveling in the way her own ministrations had made it swell like a mouth thoroughly kissed.

"Don't," he commanded. "No holding back. I want to hear you enjoying yourself, enjoying _me_."

She gave in readily and as the night progressed and the tension mounted an unending stream of sighs and screams fell on his ears. He managed to kiss every single inch of her, which took some considerable acrobatics on her part – though distressingly he wasn't able to bring himself to close the gap between his mouth and hers, despite what she'd had to sacrifice for him earlier. Their previous breaches in this particular rule made it even more imperative that he not break it now; there was too many things raw and charged hanging in the air, too many ways he'd already given himself over to her. But throughout the night he never once paused their byplay until his transformation took him over, sunlight cresting the trees and filtering in through the drapes. Then, when he cut the chains from her wrists, he flipped her on top of him and they started all over again.

* * *

The following days were a haze of laughter and joy, something the likes of which Inuyasha had never known before, but time was passing much too quickly for either of them.

Suddenly, in the middle of the night Kagome awoke with a gasp, startling awake, and Inuyasha pulled her back closer to him, curling around her as his sharp eyes searched the room. After Kagome gave pathetic excuses she herself wasn't even listening to as her mind was so occupied, he fell back asleep, something she'd noticed had only just started happening. Until recently he'd spent the nights just as paranoid as his days and only lightly dozed. She'd felt profoundly honored and moved when she felt the change.

At the moment though she was too busy with her newest revelation to ponder all the ways he'd touched her in their short time together – or maybe it was just all the summation that led her to this point. Regardless, she now knew that she didn't want him to leave..._ever._

Oh, part of it was sympathy she knew. No one should ever have to live such a life as the one the Shrine gave him, let alone _her_ Inuyasha – and it was just that. He was _hers_. She knew she could harp for hours about the injustices of society, of the position of hanyou, of how necessary it was to change things and save him, but at the end of the day she just wanted him with her. Forever. She couldn't imagine herself ever being without him now that she knew him. It was almost like she l….

_Well enough of that_, she cut off the frightening thought before it could fully form in her mind. That didn't matter. She knew what she wanted, and best of all, thanks to Ryu and a long conversation they'd had before she'd left the Shrine, she knew how to get it.

Smiling to herself as she laid out plans in her head she snuggled back into Inuyasha's arms and fell asleep.

* * *

Kagome sat fidgeting in the vehicle with her mother, the silent air weighing heavily between the two normally chatty women. Mrs. Higurashi had known something important was on her daughter's mind when she asked if they could speak privately. In such a 'friendly' (read: eavesdropping) house as theirs this wasn't an easy commodity to come by so the two were purportedly out grocery shopping, though she doubted they'd even leave the car if Kagome really didn't want prying ears, so she started driving some of the more scenic bypass routes.

The younger Higurashi knew what she had to say but not quite how to say it. It wasn't exactly every day she had to broach the subject of hanyou politics with her family.

"Mom, you like Inuyasha, right?"

The older woman smiled to herself; she had seen the glances her daughter sent the Tetsudai's way, and what pleased her even more were the ones she saw directed back at her.

"He's a fine young man, Kagome."

"Hanyou."

"You know what I mean. Linguistics aren't my forte, honey, so why don't you cut to the chase here. Your squirming is making me nervous."

She took a deep breath to steel herself. "I want to ask Inuyasha to stay with us."

When no answer was forthcoming she cracked one closed eyelid to glance at her mom. She wore a strange expression on her face, so Kagome rushed to explain. "You have no idea what kind of life he's had to live, mama, the horrible things they make him do - "

"You've told me some of it: appalling things. Animals are treated better. And they say we're living in the _enlightened_ age." For all the smiles and bubby personality of her mother she knew that a shrewd mind worked underneath. She couldn't have run a household and support three family members otherwise. Still, it caught her by surprise time and time again, especially when she remembered mentioning so little about his condition to her family. So instead, she gave her mom credit and answered the question that hadn't been voiced.

"I don't know if you know this, but hanyou have absolutely zero rights," she started quietly. "If nothing changed then Inuyasha would just be trading one prison for another, though granted our house has better food and company." She quirked a small, wistful smile. "I could not do that to him, I couldn't ask that of him.

"When I was there this little man and I became friends of sorts, accomplices almost, since he's been doing what he could to protect Inuyasha in the system he's stuck in. He told me about some paperwork that Inuyasha's father had been laying the groundwork for. In one way it's a sort of adoption - if the paperwork were in my name then he would be my sole responsibility. In another way it'd be like making him and I the exact same being. He would have all the rights of a human, exactly the same as mine, and I would be punished in the exact manner he was for any legal charges he were found guilty of."

She looked up at her mother then and the older woman wasn't surprised to see her daughter's eyes were suspiciously shiny. "Mama, I want to do this for him. I'd give anything to be able to keep him safe - "

Mrs. Higurashi pulled over to the side of the forest road and put one hand on Kagome's, stilling her fingers as they nervously twisted in on themselves. "I know, honey. You've always had a big heart - in this situation especially." She tried to smile brightly and put on a front but she couldn't help her own reservations and fears; she knew that with such a racist political system there would be many more complications and pitfalls than any of them could possibly foresee.

"There's more," she said suddenly, grasping her mother's hand with a fierce strength.

"If it only involved Inuyasha and I then it'd be a no brainer. I'm not only telling you this because I want your advice and approval, but also because it would involve you."

"Because you're living in my house?"

"No." She took a reaffirming breath. "If anything happens to me then Inuyasha would revert to someone in my family - like, like he was property or something!"

Her eyes locked with her mothers. "If I died - "

"Kagome, don't talk like that!" Mrs. Higurashi commanded, quickly performing a hex.

"It's probably inevitable. I'm human; Inuyasha's hanyou. No one knows how long hanyou live - as far as I've been able to deduce there hasn't been a single documented case of a hanyou of _any_ breed dying from old age - but it's likely he'll have inherited at least part of his lifespan from the demon blood of his father. So it's not like I'm saying 'In case I die next year,' but we still have to admit that's a possibility as well."

There had never been such a light in her daughter's eyes, and coupled with the wistful edge of sadness it made a powerful combination a mother could never ignore.

"I know you like him dear," she said quietly, "but if this is something so dangerous..."

She knew her mom only meant best and was worried for her, but now that Kagome knew the truth she'd never be able to ignore it. She couldn't live a normal life, a _free_ life, knowing that someone so close to her heart was suffering among countless others.

"It probably is dangerous, mama, but you taught me to fight for the things that I believe in. There isn't even much I can do, other than offer Inuyasha a home and a modicum of safety. Even with the paperwork it's unlikely he'd be able to live a normal life outside the shrine grounds and would still be subjected to bigotry and prejudice everywhere he went, but I can't turn my back on him." Plus he was starting to mean more to her than she could even fathom but it wasn't something she felt up to discussing with her mother just yet.

"Who knows, maybe if others learn about what we're doing then they'll even be able to do the same for hanyou in their families. It's something _I_ have to do but isn't something I'm willing to force on you all."

Mrs. Higurashi nodded, knowing that was the kind of answer she was likely to get. "Better tell me the rest then."

"The man, Ryu, seems to love Inuyasha like a nephew, almost like a son, but he wasn't able to make the paperwork in his own name because he has no family to take care of Inuyasha after he dies. In that case he'd revert to being a ward of the state, and considering they can't even decide which court has jurisdiction over him I doubt that'd be a good situation. Ryu told me it'd likely be worse than the one he's in now.

"So the only reason I can consider this is because I have you, and Souta." They both knew she'd omitted reference to jii-chan because they weren't sure of his level of cooperation and self-sacrifice for anyone even _part_ demon and his own age. As little as either liked to dwell on it, he wasn't likely to be around much longer.

"Like I said, if I took on the care of Inuyasha he would pass on to you or Souta when I die, then to Souta's kids, etc. Whoever the paperwork transferred to would have the same responsibilities and dangers as myself. That's why I can't just do this on my own but I have to check with you first, and Souta as well. I don't plan on dying anytime soon and leaving Inuyasha alone," though he'd have her family it would be different, "but it is almost a given that'll happen."

"I wanted you to think about it, then if you're willing to go along I'll have to talk to Souta as well. I won't say a word to him though until you give your okay."

Mrs. Higurashi's heart was near to bursting from all she was feeling. Kagome was so grown up she couldn't believe she'd given birth to her only eighteen years ago. She'd never felt so proud of anyone in her life as she did for her daughter in that moment - and terrified as well, for both her children. Was it fair to ask something like this of Souta, when he was still so young and couldn't even begin to understand the full ramifications? Was it fair to not give Inuyasha this chance? After all, the poor guy had never been asked to be born a hanyou, had never done anything to deserve such punishment. She knew this wasn't something that was likely to stay small - it'd be a political scandal. There was no way she could pretend to know the far reaching effects such an action would have in the long run, but she was sure they would be big. Still...was it right for her family to have to start it?

"I'll need time to think about this Kagome."

"Of course. I've known about all this for over three weeks and I've just now come to my decisions. I hope it's not too much to ask, but if you can I'd like to have your answer this week before Inuyasha has to go back. I never want him to step foot in that awful place again if it can be prevented. Then again, it might not matter since I'll have to talk to Souta as well if you decide we can go ahead with it, and if he says okay then I'll want to have a chat with jii-chan, just in case there's an earthquake in the house when he's at his friend's playing go." She winked at her mother, attempting some levity to lighten the mood, and she appreciated the effort. It still amazed her how level-headed her daughter was able to be about this whole thing.

Leaning across the seat she grabbed Kagome in a fierce hug, glowing with the fact that she'd raised such a girl to womanhood and that she'd felt her family strong enough and loving enough to bring them this proposal. However, she also knew that regardless of how the decision went their lives were changed forever, so she clung to her for the past and to remember the present.

* * *

On the excuse that she'd ignored her brother too much lately, Kagome had left with Souta for the movies and the duo wasn't due back until later that night.

Inuyasha was restless without her there and he paced the shrine grounds trying to clear his head. He breathed in deeply and felt the comfort the scent brought him and immediately recoiled. This place was starting to feel too much like home to him; he was letting down his guard and allowing himself to get attached to these people. He couldn't do that – not to himself or to them.

He knew, had known ever since his mother died, that the closer he was to a person the more he put them at risk. Ryu was okay because he had the backing of the Shrine and because he knew the reality of his situation and wouldn't do anything foolhardy. He couldn't depend on such character from Kagome; she was too reckless. He could easily envision her doing something completely idiotic for his sake, putting not only herself but also her family on the line.

He couldn't let that happen. He had to leave, quickly, and sever all ties. No good could come from this situation. The Higurashi shrine, this family, it was all starting to feel like a place he could belong and he felt the gravitational pull of it, the deep longing inside him to wrap himself in the comfort and acceptance it exuded, which was why he needed to fight it and go now.

Determined, he headed back inside to ask Mrs. Higurashi about train schedules. He was set to leave tomorrow anyhow but now he had his mind set on leaving with the first whistle in the morning.

* * *

It was their last night together in their little storage shed room and neither had been able to pull away as they merely laid still in each other's arms the majority of the day after the rest of the family had said their goodbyes to Inuyasha. They spoke soft murmured nothings as they stroked each other's hair and reveled in each other's scent, Inuyasha making lasting memories while Kagome searched for the right words to breach the silence. They had plans to leave on the early train in the morning, her making the ride with him - despite his injured pride - in order to ensure he arrived back at the Bacana Shrine safely and unaccosted. However, if she had her way, those plans would be changing and he wouldn't leave at all.

Her mother had come to her the day after their conversation and said how proud she was to have such a daughter, making Kagome choke back a sniffle, and that she would be honored to follow in her footsteps. She'd protested the words her mother had picked but Mrs. Higurashi just smiled and shooed her off to go talk with her brother.

That was something she had dreaded doing. When she first broached the subject Souta had nearly jumped with glee, proclaiming how he could be the one to protect Inuyasha for a change, excited that he would stay with their family. Then she'd had to force him to sit and listed to the grisly reality of death and crooked politicians and dirty cops and jail and...

She'd finally broken off when she saw how grim and set his face was. She'd tried to leave to give him time to think but he told her he was already decided; Inuyasha was already family and he'd protect him as such. He wouldn't be persuaded so Kagome checked with him multiple times over the following days to make sure he was certain. There was a grown up look in his eyes that she didn't like being responsible for putting there, but he kept saying how Inuyasha would need a man to help his situation since all he had so far was two women. Finally she smiled, closed her eyes against the tears, and kissed the top of her little brother's head, unable to articulate to him how privileged she was to have such a family, how fine a young man he was, and how sorry she was to put him in such a situation.

She'd decided to leave jii-chan for later since she didn't want him confronting Inuyasha until she herself had the chance to talk to him. So as she lay close to him, fingers twined in his hair, she swallowed her courage and spoke.

"Do you like it here?"

He was startled by the cutting of the silence, the urgency in her voice. "Of course I like it here wench, what'dya think?"

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I mean...do you like it a little or do you like it a lot?"

He loved the place - it was like heaven on earth to him, but there was no way he could tell her that, especially not with his departure so soon. Besides, with as much risk as he'd made this family take for his selfish desire for freedom, it was better to make a clean break altogether. "What are you getting at?" Suddenly suspicious, his eyes narrowed. She could not be taking this where he thought she was leading…could she?

_Here goes nothing_, she mused, mentally bracing herself. "I want you to stay here...with me."

He pushed away to look at her, sitting up. "You mean you want another week of worship or something?"

Shaking her head she sat up as well, the strap of her satin nightie falling off her shoulder, and she watched his eyes follow it. Swiftly pulling it up to prevent distraction she trudged forward.

"No, I mean I want you to stay here…_permanently_."

He looked at her like she had gone mad. "As in you want me to sever all ties to the Shrine and live here with your family, putting all of you in danger every day?" This could not be happening. This girl couldn't be so incredibly dense! But then again, he mused, she could and it'd be all his fucking fault for encouraging her all along the way. He'd lapped up the opportunities she'd given him, dove into life with her family, and all around made himself too much a part of what went on here because he was too caught up in everything to see the need to keep a barrier and let them sever ties cleanly. His own selfishness had led her to this point and he could blame no one but himself. Perhaps it had been a mistake after all.

"The paperwork that Ryu has talked about, where I'd be taking you under my charge, I have it all made up and we could go turn it in to the court system tomorrow - "

"NO!" he yelled, jumping up from the bed. "I don't need your damned pity. I have a job and though it's shit I still earn my way in the world. I'm not going to let you take me on as a burden out of some stupid notion you need to save the stray!" So what, now she was endangering her family from some misguided sense of sympathy?!

"It's not pity, you jerk! I want you here with me...I love you!"

Inuyasha stilled as though he had suddenly be turned to stone, his eyes cooling from agitated anger until they were still and unreadable. "What did you say?"

"I..." she began in a small voice but then she sat up straight and with all the resolution she had behind her words she met his gaze square on. "I love you."

"No you don't." Calmly, succinctly, he shattered her world.

She froze, stunned. "How can you say that?" she whispered.

They stilled, locked in a gaze too chilling to break. Kagome was desperately trying to understand what was going on inside his head, what was causing him to cut himself off so suddenly from her like this, and Inuyasha was mentally hitting himself repeatedly. With a two-by-four. With sharp, pointy nails at the end. He'd let things go entirely too far, get completely out of hand, and he needed to put a final stop to it right now. Kagome watched, trembling but paralyzed as he turned his back to her and moved across the room, putting on his haori as he went.

He opened the door, looking back at her, and though her heart ached and cried out to run to him, to jump in his arms, to stop him, she was still frozen in place, unable to move.

"Because," he said simply, lowering his eyes from hers to rest on the doorframe as he turned halfway away from her, "that's not possible."

Then he quietly shut the door behind him, ignoring when the heavy, tense silence was cut through by soft weeping, and walked out of her life.

* * *

**A/N: **Thanks to Akihana for giving this chapter a quick once over and making a couple suggestions.

Thank you again to all reviewers. They've slacked off lately but that's why I'm so glad for hit counters ^_^ As long as I can tell my stories are being read I'll continue to post them. YeeHaw!


	13. Tenacious

Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler

* * *

**Chapter 13: Tenacious**  
-holding fast to a purpose, course of action, or opinion; resolute  
-pertinacious, persistent, stubborn, or obstinate.  
-holding together; cohesive; not easily pulled asunder; tough.

* * *

For hours Kagome knelt in a daze on the bed, hands fisted limply on her thighs as she replayed the events of the night over and over in her head. She'd been so naïve, so ignorant, to think such a profound conversation could go smoothly. Nothing in Inuyasha's life was ever without drama. For some reason her understanding of his past, his hurts, and how they applied to his actions and decisions stopped at the word 'love.'

How could she expect him to drop his shields and accept her at her word? She had thought he'd want it so much, desired so greatly to be wanted and appreciated for who he was, that he'd jump at the chance. But of course such an area could also deal him the most hurt. She'd thought he'd trusted her…apparently she'd been wrong.

She watched distantly as the sun peeked through the curtains in the window, light splaying across the bed in indistinct patterns. Slowly it crept up until, as the glow fell across her knees and crept its way up, she felt a simultaneous fire light up inside of her.

_So what?!_ she demanded of herself. She hadn't decided to pull paperwork on him because she was in love with him – oh that certainly helped, but it was a secondary motive. No, she wanted to give him equal rights in society because that was what he deserved, it's what _anyone_ would deserve.

They could deal with the intimacies of their relationship later; she refused to trap him in her shrine any more than the Bacana Shrine. If through time he came to love her, well, then fantastic, but if not then it didn't matter. In the end she loved him and that was enough for her to do what she needed to do.

Eyes blazing she leapt up from the bed and dressed, gathering her words to explain herself to her mother; the older woman would want some words before they set off for the courthouse.

* * *

Kagome fidgeted nervously with the phone cord, waiting impatiently for the line to pick up, nearly dropping the handset when it did.

"Moshi-moshi, Bacana Shrine."

"Ryu-san?" she inquired timidly. If he'd gotten any wind about the situation she wasn't sure how he'd react to her in that moment.

His voice was suddenly much more alert. "Is this Kagome?"

"Yeah, is Inuyasha back yet?" She knew he should be fine but something in the back of her mind wouldn't let her rest until she heard it confirmed.

"Yes, he's back, and in one heck of a snit. What on earth happened? Why did he come back without you?"

She winced at that. Originally she'd been set to return with Inuyasha to the Shrine in order to make sure he got there without any trouble – after all, it was still only the rosary and her command over it that gave him any modicum of safety. Actually, without her with him, she wondered how he made his way at all. She couldn't see him taking the train with how little he'd liked it. The sudden image of him racing hell-bent across residential rooftops did not make her feel any more at ease.

"Ah, yeah, about that…um…" How to start? Perhaps the most critical for Ryu to know first. "Remember that paperwork you told me about?"

Ryu's stomach dropped. "You didn't."

She nodded before catching herself, recalling she was on the phone. "I did – but before you say anything Inuyasha has no idea. I brought up the idea but he stomped it down quite thoroughly before he ran off. He doesn't know I actually went through with it. The baka," she muttered the last under her breath.

"Kagome, you are really an idiot of a girl." He sighed. "Why would you go and pull a stupid stunt like that?"

"Because, like you said Ryu, he deserves to be an equal – or at least as close to one as we can make him with all the stupid legal red tape. My family loves him and was more than willing to take on the responsibility in case anything happens to me."

"You're serious…" he said, partly in awe, as the reality of the situation was just beginning to dawn on him.

"I couldn't leave him like he was; that would just be too inhumane. I needed to let you know right away though so that you can be aware of his new legal status as essentially 'human' and see that he gets a bit more of his rights there in the Shrine…maybe even keep some of the worst clients from him?" she added hopefully.

He shook his head to clear it. He knew this would take a goodly amount of time to sort through.

"Ok, fine." Pinching the bridge of his nose he could already predict the headache this was going to be. "But if he doesn't know about it then that doesn't explain his rather abrupt and dramatic entrance here."

She didn't want to tell him. She really, really didn't want to tell him.

Sensing her holding back he griped at her. "I'm the one on the receiving end of his foul mood over here. You better tell me what's going on so I know what I'm dealing with."

"There's nothing you'll be able to do," she answered, still reluctant. "It's all between the two of us anyhow."

"Tell that to the four walls he's taken chunks out of already."

That stunned her for a moment. "Really?" she said breathlessly.

Ryu actually growled at her. "Kagome…"

"All right, all right… I–I told him I love him." She cringed, both from the memory of how _wonderfully_ that had gone over and from fear or Ryu's reaction.

"You wha-!" he yelled, cutting himself off as he remembered where he was. Turning to scan the room he waved at one passing customer before leaving his back to the room at large and lowering his voice to a heated whisper. "You what?"

There was no sound coming from the phone. There wasn't a dial tone, however, and the cord was still plugged into the wall so he knew the line was still connected. He shook his head silently in denial.

"I take it his response wasn't exactly what you'd hoped for?" he asked, hoping he kept the frustration from leaking into his voice.

"Not exactly," she answered hesitantly, if morosely, "but I guess that's my own fault for just blurting it out without thinking it through."

"Why, Kagome? Why, when you've been so careful about everything else, would you do this now?"

"I asked him to stay with me – permanently – and he needed a reason. You know as well as I do it's the only thing that could possibly motivate him to stay. He's all pride and if he thought I had any other motive then he'd suspect pity, which you know he wouldn't be able to accept. I thought he could trust me in this but I guess I just pushed him too far too quickly."

He couldn't help but want to comfort the girl as the misery slowly leaked into her voice, growing with each word he spoke, but what could one say in a situation like this? No matter what there was no easy way out and it would be inevitable to have some pain along the way, despite where it led in the end.

"I don't know what to tell you-"

"It's okay," she interrupted. "I didn't call to dump this all on you, though I suppose it is only right you know. I just wanted to make sure you got Inuyasha the extra protection he deserves and is now finally legally permitted to."

He smiled wryly into the phone. "I'll do everything I can, you can be guaranteed that much at least." After a short pause he continued. "Are you sure there's nothing I can do for you?"

"I don't think there's anything you can do…it seems like everything else will be stuck between that stubborn jerk and I…" She trailed off but he took her meaning immediately.

"So when will you be coming back? Should I make arrangements for next week?"

She smiled softly into the phone, glad to have someone who not only understood but who was willing to be her friend through the situation and give what aid he could. His support meant more than she could ever tell him.

"It won't be for a while, I think. My family already spent so much to provide the two months we just had, and while it seems the kami have indeed been pleased and are blessing the shrine, it's still just not enough to send me off on another jaunt so soon. Not only that but I'm starting school next week." She shuddered slightly at that recollection. "I still have so much to prepare, things I set aside this last month, and I can't just skip out on that.

"But mostly…" she paused, mentally bracing herself against her next words, "I think we both need time to cool off first. I…I have no idea what Inuyasha is thinking right now, whether he's just mad or if he's truly disgusted with me…maybe even hates me…"

Ryu interrupted her. "Now you couldn't possibly think that after everything you two have been through."

"You didn't see his face when he left. You didn't see the way he – oh Ryu I've never seen him like that before. I feel like I broke some part of him. Maybe you were right about getting his hopes up just to dash them and throw him back into that hellhole – only I never imagined he'd be the one to go jumping back so readily."

"You can't honestly think he was eager to come back here," he argued.

"No," she agreed, "but I can think I did things wrong to make him think that was his only option, his safety. Oh, but it's all my fault. I shouldn't have sprung things on him like that. I should have known, should have seen…"

"There's no reason to go into 'should haves' Kagome. The past is done and all you can do is figure out how to work with what you have. Got it?"

She smiled again. She really did appreciate the man. No self-pity for her, no sir. She'd started all this so now she needed to buck up and fight for it. She supposed she'd known all along it would never be easy – but a girl could always hope.

"Yes, you're right," she told him. "And that's one reason I'm waiting to come back. We both need to think things through quite a bit and I need to work on my understanding some more. It won't do any good for me to be pushing his limits too far again.

"My plan for now is to come back in ten months – a year to date from the first time I was there. That'll be after my term is done, I should have been able to dig up some more information, and hopefully it'll be a good way to start over. In the meantime we'll be able to communicate to each other in other ways and have to rely on personal rather than just physical connection. What do you think?"

"I think that sounds like a plan. You'll let me know if anything changes though? If you want to come sooner?"

"Of course I will."

He flipped through the pages in his book and pulled up the correct date. "How long do you want me to schedule you in for?"

"The full two weeks of course. Full-nighters too – I don't want anyone to be cruel to him when I can prevent it. You'll look into his rights as my protectee now, right?"

"I've already told you I'll do whatever I can to see him safe. I take it you want to be the one to tell him?"

She paused, so long Ryu thought she might not answer. "I don't think I want him to know yet."

He was truly baffled. "Why ever not?"

"Because then he'll feel obligated to me – and you know how much he'll hate that, how much it'll rankle at his pride that a puny human is protecting him. Besides, as I said earlier, it's a matter of him trusting me and my motives. Until he does he'll feel it's just another prison. You know as well as I do that even if he knew right now that he had the same rights as a human he wouldn't take advantage of it, eaten up with arrogance as the stubborn hanyou he is. He'd probably still sit in the Shrine same as he is now."

Ryu hated, actually _loathed_ the picture she painted, of how hard Inuyasha was working against himself, but he had to admit that in all reality it was true. Kagome had given him the perfect opportunity for an out and he'd all but slammed it in her face. At the same time though, it would go against everything he was to accept it. So what she said, as sad as it was and as hard as it was to accept, was completely valid. It would do Inuyasha no good to know the reality of it because it would just make it that much harder for him to accept the olive branch in the future.

"Ok, I'll do my best to keep it discreet. You know, though, that means I won't be able to protect him from clients and such as fully as I would otherwise?"

She hated it, hated Inuyasha himself right then for making it so she couldn't do anything other than agree to allow him pain in the short run in order to hopefully save him later. "Yes, I know. In the long run I suppose it's all we can do if we hope to ever be able to get him out of this mess."

They both fell silent a moment, contemplating the enormity of the situation they were facing and their new roles in it. Ryu took the time to look around the room again to gauge his privacy and noticed a large group unloading outside the main doors of the Shrine. It looked like his time was up.

"I'm sorry but I'm still on duty and an entire gaggle of newbies are on their way through the door. Are you _sure_ there's nothing else I can do for you?"

"Well, maybe I…I mean, you…"

"Yes, Kagome?"

She breathed in deeply and fortified her heart against the coming question. "Just tell me, do you think he could ever love me, Ryu?"

The question took him by surprise even though he should have seen it coming. Sometimes he forgot just how young she really was. He hesitated, not liking what he had to say, but knowing she'd be more grateful for blunt truth. "I wish I could tell you yes…"

Sighing, she leaned back against the wall. She'd known that was likely to be his answer but hadn't been able to help but hope. Still, like she'd said, in the end it _was_ between herself and Inuyasha. "So is that a 'no' or an 'I don't know'?"

_Please don't be 'no', please don't be 'no', _she chanted. At least with that she'd still have some hope. Besides, she'd been able to pull Inuyasha out that much from Ryu's expectations – bringing him to her apartment, his own insistence to accompany her home for the month – hope could do glorious things, as long as it wasn't crushed completely.

Ryu wasn't a fool. He knew what she was searching for here, and despite the fact that he didn't think Inuyasha would ever put himself in such a vulnerable position, he couldn't bring himself to take all aspirations away from her. He only prayed his own hope wouldn't fail them both.

"I don't know, Kagome," he said, shaking his head, "I just don't know."

* * *

There were only three more days before she started medical school but she couldn't bring herself to focus on her studies. She should be taking practice exams, dissecting her anatomy books, learning as much as she could to be prepared. After all, only the top percentage of any class ever got placement or were allowed to work in the on-campus clinic. Really, she needed to get her head out of the clouds.

But no matter what she did _he_ wouldn't leave her mind.

Was Inuyasha's case really that unique? Were there other hanyou out there trapped in similarly unseemly, untenable positions or was it just him? Ryu had hinted at hanyou being sequestered away by their families as an embarrassment – but how often was that the case?

It made her head spin.

There were too many scenarios. From Kouga's inferences she assumed that many youkai-human couples aborted their babies so as to not bring about any 'monstrosities' in the world.

She couldn't suppress her shudder at that concept. How could a parent ever think of a child as anything less than perfect?

But then that begged the question of how many parents would refuse abortion but then raise a child in a glorified prison cell in their own home.

Turning, she wandered down a street she'd never bothered to take before, not even taking notice of the difference in décor as her mind continued churning. How many of the families that 'kept' hanyou did so because they were embarrassed or ashamed, and how many because there was simply no other option? If these families knew what she knew about the draft Inu no Taisho had made up for a legal framework…

She shook her head. She was letting her thoughts run away with her. There was no point going that far ahead when she didn't even know if any hanyou existed in the area. She wished she had the right to tell the world about the paperwork she'd taken on Inuyasha – it could possibly open so many doors – but she couldn't until he accepted it himself first. Even then she didn't know what kind of adverse reactions such a declaration could possibly have on his safety.

It was all just so confusing.

Looking up she noticed someone staring at her strangely, and at the markings she assumed she (or he, embarrassingly enough she really couldn't tell at the distance) was a youkai.

That was another thing she wondered: was it more likely for the youkai pair of the couple to house the hanyou child? It seemed like it made sense. Despite the fact that another youkai might be able to detect the hidden family member by scent (unless they had some kind of screening method she didn't know of), it was almost beneath the notice of a full-blooded youkai to spend time on a hanyou, as they'd discussed when putting the rosary on Inuyasha,. Aside from that, if it came down to it then the youkai family could more aptly physically defend the hanyou if they really desired to. No guns, no 'shoot on sight' commands, no ignorant public – they were just ignored instead.

Then of course there was the whole aging situation. Just how quickly did hanyou age, anyhow? Did they follow the youkai or ningen heredity where that was concerned, or did they land somewhere in the middle? The implications as to how that could affect her relationship with Inuyasha made her head spin; she hadn't even thought about it before.

She couldn't really put her head around it and lifted her hand to her temple as she looked up again. The youkai was still there, still staring…_wait, youkai?!_ Kagome had been so wrapped up in her thoughts she hadn't been paying attention to where she'd walked. She did so now, taking a step back and gazing up at the high walls, the old-fashioned lamps hanging everywhere, the strangely muted smells…

To her left she noticed a large doorway just a little ways up and though she knew she should be cautious in this uncharted territory she couldn't help her curiosity. Besides, as far as she knew there was nothing to be worried about other than feeling awkward – she hadn't read anywhere that interracial interaction was limited – after all, how did the hanyou come to be? It just … didn't happen often. Prejudices of mankind (and demonkind too she supposed) and all.

Hesitantly walking up to the doorway she saw it was a small grocery, and from what she could see from her vantage point it all seemed incredibly foreign – she could identify very few articles in the front displays. The clerk gave her an odd look but didn't make any move toward her so she felt she could have relaxed but this was enough shock for one day. Backing away slowly she nodded once to the store worker, once to the youkai in the street, then as nonchalantly as possible walked back toward the ningen sector and home.

* * *

Kagome sat in the classroom, twirling her pen in her fingers. The first couple weeks of school had been hard and sometimes she had to force herself focus, but she'd adjusted well enough. Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi had all gone their separate ways: Yuka to be a beautician, Ayumi to be a teacher – surprise, surprise – but Eri was the biggest shock of all, going into science. Ever since her mother had died of cancer she'd become enthralled with the idea of studying different genomes and how to prevent or treat advanced diseases. Houjo was in the same program as her - his family did run a clinic after all - so she saw him from time to time. In fact, if she tilted her head just so, she could catch his profile in the corner of her eye, listening with rapt attention to the professor.

She had to smile at that. Professor Hirohito wasn't typical of the medical profession. In fact, he was quite often considered 'eccentric' and many students didn't give him the respect he deserved. She was glad Houjo didn't fall into that group. For herself, she loved that the man didn't fit into the given mold – even if it meant she thought he was half-crazy. It was evident he'd had to work his way to the top, proving himself time and time again due to his character, but he'd earned every iota of respect he now got – even if it was still sometimes grudgingly from others in the field.

Before the first day of class she'd given herself the assignment of reading work and thesis from each professor she'd be studying under so as to understand what field they were passionate about and where they'd likely pick materials to teach from. That had been part of what she'd intended to do with that extra time before she'd so suddenly summoned Inuyasha to her home for a month, but she made sure to get a little bit of the reading in.

Professor Hirohito's work fascinated her with its different outlook and perspective. It was truly inspired since so many human conditions had been solved by thinking outside of the so-called box.

Something in the lecture at the moment suddenly snapped her attention back:

"Though the physical structure continues to grow throughout infancy it is, in fact, already dying. The nature of our bodies is such that each individual part wears out after a given time. Like a car, with more frequent check ups and better tune ups, the life-span increases dramatically, but unlike a machine it cannot be overhauled time and time again indefinitely. Such drastic procedures in our fragile forms sometimes, instead of helping, actually weaken the overall state because of the strain it puts on the healing system.

"That is why it is important to not prescribe multiple treatments, or start at the most extreme and work down. The human body can only take so much. Even with our pill-popping multi-vitamins, our improved sanitary and living conditions, and our increasing medical knowledge, the physical limit hasn't changed and despite all precautions the body will begin breaking down around age 60, typically resulting in death by age 80-85.

"Our society as we know it today is the healthiest we have ever known of and our life expectancy is tremendously higher than has been experienced in any other time that we can document a corpse from. Take, for example, the typical situation from five to six centuries ago, where the male life-expectancy was 35 and the female was oftentimes 20 or lower depending on child-birthing conditions. Though we're steps ahead no one can push the physical limit beyond age 130, despite whatever procedures you may put a body under. There is a threshold to be endured and that must be respected at all times."

Professor Hirohito looked up from his notes.

"Yes, Miss Higurashi?"

Kagome was half-surprised to hear her own name called, only barely registering that she'd raised her hand, but since the question was there, milling around in her mind, she figured she may as well ask.

"What is it about youkai physiology then that makes it so different? The genetic material, the bone density, the lifestyle, the youkai, what?"

She looked around her at the stunned gasp and startled murmurs from many of the other students. Was what she was saying really so out of the ordinary?

The professor adjusted his low ponytail slightly and pushed his glasses back up his nose. _This is interesting…most interesting,_ he thought. "I'm sorry to say that I myself have not made any inspection into what causes the distinctions, merely that they are there. If you wish to know more I suggest you consult our library here – it is quite extensive and I'm sure you'll be able to find something. Aside from that, inside this classroom human physiology is all that matters because it is all that you'll be practicing in the field."

He regretted the few smug smirks that were now sent her way at her 'set down' but the girl didn't seem to pay them any heed at all. If anything, he was more intrigued than ever at the small scowl she sent his way and the way her brow furrowed – as if she were thinking of much deeper things than what she'd mentioned aloud. _This could take some more looking into_, he mused.

The class ended only a few minutes later and he caught her promptly before she'd had the chance to leave through the door. "I'd like a word Miss Higurashi. Please come by my office later this afternoon. Understood?"

She nodded absentmindedly, wondering if he was going to lecture her further, and resolved to get it over with as quickly as possible. She had better things to do, like getting to that library he had mentioned…

"I'll be there in half-hour. Is that all right?"

The smile, not to mention the semi-mocking salute he gave her made her suddenly curious, suspicious even. He was the school's curio, right? So what was the likelihood of his calling her for something as mundane as a scolding? Maybe he took his classroom policies more strictly than most, an obsession of sorts? She couldn't pull any other likely scenarios to mind, so she shrugged it off and resigned herself to finding out in another thirty minutes.

* * *

She waited impatiently as the line rang and rang. Someone had to pick up, didn't they? She'd purposely waited to call mid-afternoon so that the Shrine wouldn't be busy yet but she hoped it was late enough that there was someone still manning the front desk and they weren't all sleeping. Actually, she'd never really bothered to find out if the Bacana Shrine had any hours it was officially 'closed'.

"Moshi-moshi, Bacana Shrine," answered the sleepy voice.

"Ryu?"

He cracked a yawn, all professionalism pushed aside once he heard who it was. "Ah, Kagome. To what do I owe the pleasure."

"I'm sorry," she stammered, "did I wake you up?"

"That you did. If no one's stationed at the desk then the phone automatically forwards to my apartments. They're on the grounds so if anyone needs something I'm able to get to it quickly enough."

She gave him a mirthful little chuckle. "You really are married to that place, aren't you?"

"Yes, yes," he grumbled back. "Now what are you doing calling me at…" he fumbled for his clock, "4:00 in the afternoon? I don't have to be up for another hour or so…"

"Sorry, sorry, I wasn't sure what your schedule was, I just wanted to make sure I called at an appropriate time for this."

"This…?" he asked leadingly.

"I wanted to see if I could talk to Inuyasha."

"Ahh, time to patch things up, is it?"

She smiled ruefully. As if things would go that easily. "I don't know how far we'll get with that but it's been too long already. I miss him."

"All right, all right, I'll see what I can do. Just stay on the line here but be patient, I've got to head over to the main building and wake him up – which won't make him very happy to start off with but take it as it comes. Should be able to pick up a line over there, so give me about 10 minutes. Can you hang on there?"

She glanced at her watch. That would mean she would only have about 10 minutes to talk with Inuyasha but it was better than nothing. She could always call back later if things were going well.

"That's fine, Ryu. I'll still be here when he picks up."

Then she waited. And waited.

She pulled out one of her textbooks to flip through, trying to distract herself, but when she found herself destroying the edges of the pages she quickly put it away, knowing it was useless to try to focus on anything else.

Finally, after what seemed an eternity, she heard the phone pick up. "Yes? Inuyasha?" she breathed excitedly.

"No, Kagome, it's me."

She immediately deflated, stunned. Ryu's voice was the last thing she'd expected to hear. Then her mind started racing. Had Inuyasha had a really bad night last night and was still recovering? Was he that bad of a morning person that he wouldn't wake up early for any reason? Was he…avoiding her?

"I see. Why isn't Inuyasha with you?"

Ryu sighed heavily into the phone and her heart dropped. "Listen, you told me before that this is between the two of you, right? I can't get into the middle of this."

Well…it seemed that was her answer. "Yeah, I understand. Sorry for putting you in that position."

She sounded so small to his ears, not like the girl he knew. "Hey, why don't you try something that he doesn't have to respond to immediately?"

She perked up slightly. "You mean like a letter?" Actually, that sounded like a fantastic idea. That way she'd be able to put her thoughts into order – she knew most likely she'd be a bit incoherent on the phone with him, hearing his voice for the first time in over a month. Plus, she had said she would be patient, right? This would give him his own timeframe to form his own thoughts, his own reply. She just prayed she'd have the patience she aimed for since she had no idea how long it would take him to write back, if he ever did. She hoped just getting her own thoughts across would be enough for her and she didn't go crazy in the meantime.

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea Kagome."

"Ryu, you know I'll probably still call anyhow. Though writing gives more time for thinking it's nothing compared to hearing his voice."

"I know."

"I'll do my best to not stick you in the middle though and if I'm pushing you too much you just tell me."

He had to smile at that. The girl was just as stubborn as her hanyou, though she did try to be a bit more considerate about it. "All right then. I'll consider myself warned."

"Ja ne, and…Ryu? Thank you, for everything."

* * *

Kagome knocked softly on the open door before popping her head in. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes Higurashi, please sit down. Oh, and do shut the door first." The professor turned back to his desk and put the finishing touches on a couple papers before facing her fully. He quickly took in the fact that she was sitting on the very edge of her chair, fidgeting anxiously, as though ready to jump at the slightest provocation. He wondered briefly if it had to do with the topic at hand before he had the epiphany.

_Ah, so that's what she's worried about! _He had to chuckle at it, which didn't do anything for the poor girl's nerves, but he couldn't help it. After all, he supposed it wasn't _that_ unheard of a situation. Still, he'd never thought anyone would think _him_ capable of coming onto his own student.

"On second thought, come with me." He stood and moved out his door, Kagome forced to follow as he walked rapidly away.

"Where are we going?" she asked, catching up.

"To my laboratory. There are plenty of windows and observation decks so you won't have to worry about being alone with me, but I can turn all the microphones off so we'll still have our privacy."

Kagome was caught off guard by his statement and insinuations, as absorbed as she had been in her own thoughts, but mused that she should be grateful for his concern. She supposed it was the easiest conclusion to come to since he couldn't have any idea what was really making her edgy. Belatedly she felt oddly guilty that she hadn't worried about that in the first place. "I don't know what you're talking about. I wasn't worried at all!"

He stopped abruptly to give her a lascivious wink. "Then maybe you should have been." Her face was simply priceless and his raucous laughter reverberated down the hall as they continued on, Kagome's cheeks blazing. _No wonder everyone thinks he's a nut job…_

The smile that came reluctantly to her face made her realize she felt a bit more at ease now. Whether he'd done that on purpose to lighten the mood or if that was just one of his more quirky behavior coming out she didn't know, but she felt that maybe she could begin to like this doctor after all.

And, despite everything, she had to admit – though she'd die before she did so out loud – she did appreciate the effort. The change of location would make her much more comfortable for whatever conversation he had in mind to discuss. Finally they entered and she couldn't help but gawk at the place.

It was huge! There were skeletons, books, wall hangings with anatomical structures dissected and depicted out; there was a part set aside for chemical research, another set up like a mini-clinic or operating room itself – _must be what the observation deck is for_, she realized. It was mind-goggling that this one man had been given so much space and lee-way within this building and it spoke to how much accreditation he had within his profession. She couldn't help her respect rising tremendously for him.

"Now, what is this about youkai?" He turned abruptly serious as soon as the door was shut, throwing her off her stride so that she fumbled for an answer.

"I…uh…what do you mean?"

"What do you know about youkai and why do you want to know about them?"

Her mind was spinning slightly. This was the last thing she'd suspected when he'd asked to see her and to give herself a moment to regain her bearing she allowed her suspicion to raise to the front. "Why do you care so much?"

"You're the one who brought it up in my classroom, Miss Higurashi, I'm merely following up. Now how much do you know?"

She paused a moment, measured him carefully. "I'll tell you when you answer one thing for me first. If a wounded youkai came in here right now what would you do: treat him as well you could, give him a Band-Aid and a lollipop, ignore him, or run him off?"

Obviously she was trying to gauge where his sympathies lay. In which case… "It appears you've learned enough or at least a specific something to make you paranoid."

She huffed indignantly but he held up a hand. "No, I'm not saying that's not wise, though you did burn that bridge a bit when you showed such undivided interest earlier today."

"It was just a simple question," she hedged. "I didn't know it would be so outrageous."

"Ah, but the fact that you think so _is_ what makes it outrageous," he spurted. "Now to get to the heart of things I've never been terribly pro-youkai, but neither have I been against them. They're just in a different world. Doesn't mean that if one came knocking on my door I'd treat it as such though.

"And as for your question…well I have taken the Hippocratic Oath after all. Some doctors have specific definitions of where they'll apply their skill, but not me. I've always thought that life is life and what did I bother to study for and learn how to help heal something if I don't apply it whenever and wherever I get the chance? I take it to mean aiding all life – so whether you brought me an animal, a youkai, or a human I'd do my best."

"What about a hanyou?" she supplied quickly, blushing even while she met his gaze head on.

"So this is what it's about. You're pregnant?"

She spluttered at his query. "N- no! Of course not!"

"Hm, interesting," was all he said, shrugging his shoulders. That did make him wonder though just why the specific interest. Perhaps there was one in her family? Maybe she thought of taking a youkai lover and considered fully the complete ramifications? Or perhaps she really just did come at this all theoretically.

"Well, go on then," he encouraged. "You obviously brought it up because you had some questions and now that we're not surrounded by a group of righteously indignant students you're free to do so. Please, be my guest."

"I guess, for starters, is there really information in that library that has information on youkai physiology?"

"Yes, though how complete it is I couldn't say as I haven't checked on it myself."

"Do _you_ know anything specifically about it?" she sniped, annoyed at his apparent evasion.

"I haven't done any research myself, no, but I do hear little snippets. All in all it's not much though."

She didn't know what happened. It could have been that he didn't laugh at her and seemed to be taking it seriously. It could have been that she was just so pressed for answers and was finally possibly getting closer to it. Maybe she was just sick of sitting on it so long herself.

The recent conversation with Ryu came flashing into her mind and she had to force herself to recall that she couldn't control Inuyasha's actions, only her own. Providence had landed her right here, right now, and she'd be a fool to not take advantage of it and perhaps even learn something that would be useful. It was possible this would come back around on her and bite her but if she was afraid of everything then nothing would ever get done. She was in this situation now; she'd have to deal with anything in the future as it came up.

Regardless of the reason everything came bursting out at once.

"What is it that makes them so different from humans that they can live for centuries but compatible enough that they can make children together? Are distinct species of youkai separated on a grander scale like one animal to another or more like different races of human? Since the two are compatible is it possible to transplant youkai body parts to a human or vice versa? What determines how much of each parent is inherited in a hanyou child? Could two children from the same parents be completely different? Would different species live for varying amounts of time? Why are hanyou seen as inferior when they are the product of two superior and equal beings?"

The room rang silent, Kagome's heavy breathing from her heated ruminations the only sound until, quite suddenly, Professor Hirohito started laughing. Not softly, but full out belly laughs that had him bent over in his chair.

Kagome glowered at the man. The only reason she'd shared so much was because he hadn't mocked her and now look at him! She was furious, both at him for his behavior and herself for giving so much away. Now he'd probably be breathing down her neck all year. Swiftly she spun on her heel and marched toward the door. Only her professor's voice stopped her because, dang it, her mother had done too well in her remonstrations of how well she needed to respect her elders and superiors (even if she did occasionally 'forget' from time to time).

"No, please, wait. That was wonderful! Don't you see? I've never seen anyone get worked up like that on this subject before. Hell, I've never heard half these questions voiced before – especially those on hanyou. Seems to be a touchy subject all around."

She turned back to face him head on, trying to gauge his sincerity.

"Like I said, I'm no expert on the subject, but this most definitely intrigues me. I'd like to help you along, if you don't mind, and we'll see what we can discover between the two of us. With two oddball, outside thinkers like ourselves it shouldn't be too difficult, now, ne?"

His smile was contagious and she couldn't help herself as she grinned back at him. Maybe this wouldn't be too bad after all. Since she didn't know enough about the human structure yet to compare them on a minute scale she would appreciate being able to pick his brain about it.

"I'll even keep it discreet if you wish," he was still rambling. "Although, if we do discover something worthy of publishing I would like to get that out before someone else makes one similar…"

He paused as though just realizing she was still in the room. "I say, girl, what brought up all this _unusual_ interest in the first place?"

She hedged. She was starting to really like this doctor but she was learning to be paranoid when it came to Inuyasha. Besides, she could say this didn't have to do strictly with him since she wasn't looking at operating on him – he'd just…made her curious. Yes, that was all. He was just the spark off. Surely the professor had no need to know about that.

"All right, Higurashi, all right," he said laughingly. "You don't need to tell me yet if you don't want to."

Kagome blushed, realizing how long she must have been thinking things through for him to let her off like that.

He continued. "I can wait until we know more or you have some trust in me. I'm sure this will take a good deal of time so we're sure to get to know each other better. In the meantime we can start on the slim pickings in the library."

"'Slim pickings'?" she mimed. "I thought you said you hadn't looked into it yourself?"

"Oh, I haven't," he replied, grinning even bigger as he noted the small spark of suspicion that had risen again at her question. "I just know how politics work. In the past ningen studies of youkai have only been for the purpose of exploiting weaknesses."

"War?" she asked dully.

He dropped his head slightly in a nod. "Yes. Of course, the youkai would have no such need to study our bodies to know how we are weaker than them. More likely they studied our technology, our weaponry. I doubt that even now they know much specifically about the human condition. But because of such history I doubt there would have been much collaboration between the two species for purely scientific study. Both parties would be too distrustful of the other's motives, aware of all the other reasons possible to launch such a study."

"I see." Sometimes she hated being reminded how ugly reality could be. "But you think there will be _some_ information in the library?"

"Yes. If nothing else there will likely be some pinched from a youkai source book about their own bodies – so how broadly it will apply I can't be sure. At least it's a start though."

His optimism was contagious and Kagome found herself encouraged by his surety in the prospect of their research. She knew it would be a long and frustrating road but with someone else alongside perhaps they might accomplish something after all.

* * *

Despite all their good intentions, their research was going nowhere fast. Still, it was good to know she had someone to confide in or gripe to when she was feeling frustrated about the whole thing. Nonetheless it was plain obvious they were going to get next to no information from the books.

So Kagome did the only thing she could think of to do – she started wandering the youkai sector again. After all, she'd made it there before, on accident no less, and had come out fine, hadn't she? Plus, more than anything she still wanted to know more about hanyou and how many could possibly be living around her, hidden in plain sight.

First thing she did was walk back to the market she'd found before. Of course, it wasn't so simple since she'd been lost in thought when she first made it to the place, so it required more searching on her part but eventually she found it. This time though her nerves were running away with her since she wasn't so distracted. In the end that didn't matter though; it wasn't like this was the first time she'd felt out of her element since meeting Inuyasha.

She had to fight back a small pang at his memory but that gave her the fire to push her hesitation aside and she marched into the small grocery like she owned the place, trying to give the shopping youkai a respectable berth while trying not to appear like she was avoiding them. As she inspected the items on the shelves she realized that even with them being clearly labeled she still had no idea what half of them were. Some of the others that she did recognize unfortunately had an adverse effect on her appetite and she couldn't see anyone willingly buying and eating such things, but the number of baskets and arms piled high with the items spoke against her sentiments.

As nonchalantly as she could she made her way around the store, trying to familiarize herself with the differences, make mental notes of how similar other things were. All in all things weren't so different, just slightly culturally unique, as if she'd tried to go shopping at a country market in Osaka. No big deal, really. In fact, she almost laughed as she spotted a display of pocky. They even had her favorite kind – chocolate almond.

_These are so hard to find sometimes!_ She squealed internally even as she picked up four boxes. It was always good to stock up when the supply was at hand. She'd have grabbed more if she'd brought more change but she hadn't really expected to find anything palatable at a youkai grocery.

Smiling broadly she made her way to the register. She wasn't sure why she noticed but the last customer walked out the moment she set her pocky down to pay. Hoping that it wasn't a subtle hint at avoidance and was merely a gift of providence she decided to take advantage of the privacy to ask the clerk a question that she knew wouldn't be best asked in front of others.

"Say, have you ever heard of any hanyou living in these parts?" She stared directly at the clerk, a beautiful female youkai of what type she couldn't tell, though she guessed some kind of bird relation, aspiring to pick up on any gestures or facial expressions she made that might give the youkai's thoughts away.

The clerk startled but quickly turned a frosty glare on her. "I don't know what you could be talking about, child."

Kagome huffed at the dig at her age, especially since the youkai didn't appear that much older than herself – but then she remembered Kouga and realized perhaps it wasn't so far fetched a term for herself after all. She dug the money out of her pocket, knowing the clerk wasn't going to be any use at all to her.

She was out the door only a split second later, cradling her beloved sweets and pondering the odd reaction she'd just gotten. Mentally she just shrugged it off; she'd known better than to expect any results or easy answers but she couldn't just pass by such an obvious opening. _Oh well_, she mused. _Just means I'll have to keep trying. _After all, Kagome was nothing if not persistent.

Swinging the bag in her hand she strolled back down the street to her house.

* * *

It had been three months! Three full months of researching and skulking around the youkai suburbs while asking discreet questions – and still nothing. She'd made little discovery other than people and youkai alike were antsy or downright hostile when on the subject of hanyou. Most though at least attempted an air of affected indifference or outright ignored her, pretending they'd never heard the subject brought up…though she still heard the whispers about herself behind her back. She wondered, sadly, if that's how any of her theoretical hidden hanyou were treated on a daily basis – as though they didn't really exist. Such thoughts only made her all the more determined to keep up her investigation.

There had been enough hints dropped and enough people responding strongly enough that she knew there had to be some hanyou around. She wanted to find them, to talk to them if she could. Most of all she wanted to do something to help them – but she couldn't know what they most needed until she found out the specifics of their situations. Perhaps all she could do was be a friend, someone who knew of their existence outside their four sterile little walls.

She sighed and sagged briefly against a wall. Recently she'd taken to frequenting the smaller streets, the narrow winding paths between houses that she hadn't noticed at first and then had been too hesitant to take after she had. Now she hoped that it might give her more of a clue or she might meet someone in passing who would _finally _answer her questions, or, who knew, the kami might smile on her and she might actually run into one in the backstreets.

She had to laugh at that. Obviously she was getting delusional to think she'd just bump into one of the infamously 'non-existent' hanyou in her wanderings. She turned to continue her trek up the alley only to be slammed harshly back into the wall.

_What the heck?!_

Her eyes squeezed shut at the force with which she hit and she wasn't sure she wanted to open them when she heard the heavy breathing coming from somewhere above her. She'd learned, though, that ignoring a problem unfortunately didn't make it go away, so with all the courage she could muster she forced herself to crack one eye open and came face to face with the largest, smelliest, and hairiest monster she'd ever seen. Her mouth widened to scream but she didn't get the chance before his hand – an oddly hard one at that – clamped down and she was forced to breathe through her nose.

"You're the one who's been stirring everyone up by asking around about hanyou?"

Well there went all her ideas that she'd been discreet in her queries. The youkai's voice was oddly pleasant for all his appearance and she took a closer look at him, trying to see past her racing heart and rampant fear. He looked to have long teeth of some sort. Fangs? No, tusks! Tusks, that was it. He must be a boar youkai of sorts. Not only that but he appeared fidgety, nervous. She assumed it was because he was assaulting a teenage girl in broad daylight and she fervently prayed with everything she could muster in her that he'd trip himself up.

"I asked you a question, human," he hissed, shaking her slightly. "Now answer me!"

Since his hand was still firmly clenching her jaw shut she only managed to nod her head, which in and of itself was a feat with how strong his hold was on her.

"Good, then you're coming with me."

* * *

**A/N: **

**And now, prepare for the Author's Note from hell. Not bad, just really long ^_-**

First off, sorries for getting this chapter out so late. I was sick for a good 3.5 weeks straight and I don't function when ill. I'd actually started writing immediately, kicked into gear as I was by all the lovely reviews, but. Bam. Sick. Bah. Then I tried experimental style which I didn't like and had trouble deciding the ending, but whatever. At least that means I've got a good portion of the next chapter written, right?

It feels like a ton of stuff happened in this chapter, it just seemed to go on forever! Haha. It was also a bit hard to write since our friendly neighborhood hanyou was lacking but he should be making an appearance sometime soon. As I mentioned, good solid chunks of next chapter are written but if it drags out too long it may get chopped in half. All depends. Joy of Joys.

Thanks again, of course, to my splendiforous beta Akihana, and of course all reviewers. It's so great to know people read this because they actually like it and not just because they're bored and there's nothing else to read, haha. (I myself have read some mediocre fanfic just for that reason, haha. Yes, I'm terrible.) ^_-

In general:

I'm so glad to know most of you guys think I'm keeping the characters IN CHARACTER. Please, if you EVER feel I'm not staying true to them then point it out to me. I can't guarantee I'll change it b/c it might just be a difference in opinion but if it's something that you make me look at again and I agree then I'll do my best to fix because OOC is a huge pet peeve of mine.

Now, a few reviews that must be replied to:

**Angelica_Pierce:**

You made me laugh with your first line. Spot on.

Also, to tell the truth I agree with you about how it felt a bit short and the second month was rushed through. I tried but I just couldn't figure out any way to lengthen it without making it trite or forced. Nothing big happened – Inuyasha just got a taste of normal life. Being away from hell will do that to a guy. I don't think he's even realized himself that much yet. But hopefully there will be some pulls from that time coming into later chapters. Thanks for the honest input.

**Sassa:**

You made me very happy. Again, I'm so glad you saw through to the heart of matters. You nailed what I was trying to convey and it makes me so glad to see that it comes through clearly. I tend to get things muddled in my head a lot ^_-

**WTW:**

"over the years" *sweatdrops* It really has been that long hasn't it. My goodness. I guess that's what happens what I post a one-shot then have to reformulate it into a multi-chaptered fic, but still…Thanks for keeping with it! ^_^

**rowdygirl:**

That review really just made me laugh out loud. (pretty much every time I read it too.) Thanks for the honesty, I love it ^_-

**Qui:**

You absolutely cracked me up. Yes, Inuyasha's a bonehead, but it wasn't as asshole-ish a move as much as an ignorant one. He believes he is simply unlovable and it's impossible to love him – therefore Kagome must be delusional and think she's in love just because she's young enough and naïve enough to not know better. He blames himself for allowing her to believe this when it can't be true. Not so much throwing it back in her face as it is a denial. But don't worry – we'll work on our hanyou's perception of reality. ^_-

**Mickiressa:**

Thanks for the encouragement, love it. And I am working on a more intricate KakaSaku fic but it won't be near the level of Shrine Prostitute because this story is still sucking the life out of me. Glad you like em both though (and honored that you liked SP enough to reread. That's a true testament, ne? I say that because I'm a rereader myself) ^_^

**Caela:**

I love lurkers ^_-

* * *

Original posting: September 25, 2007


	14. Escalation

Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler

* * *

**A/N: **Normally I hate putting stuff at the top of a chapter but oh well. I'm the author, I can do whatever the heck I want. ^_-

I know it's been a long time since the last update and it's great you've all been hanging in there. I just wanted to thank each and every one of you who've been reading/reviewing this story. I know this sounds totally cheesy but my life has sucked lately and it has honestly been a little sparkle of joy knowing there are people who actually enjoy this fic. Haha, see? Told you I'm lame. So thank you all for giving me a bit of a push in an otherwise craptastic life ^_^

* * *

**Chapter 14: Escalation  
-** to increase in intensity, magnitude, etc  
- an increase to counteract a perceived discrepancy  
- an increase in the intensity or geographical scope of a war or diplomatic confrontation

* * *

Inuyasha paced the small confines of his room, wishing desperately for something to punch.

Why hadn't he picked up the damn phone? It wasn't all that difficult, was it? He knew he was acting the idiot, avoiding Kagome like that. He'd have thought she would hate him after the way he'd stormed out on her, but what else could he have done? He had to protect them both from whatever maniac crusade she thought she was on. If that hadn't been enough though, then the way he was currently behaving should surely be enough to turn her off, but no. She still called.

Why the hell was she so damned persistent? Couldn't she get it through her head that nothing could happen between them? That just because she _thought _something was there didn't mean anything really was, or that it would continue to be? She was deluded, that was all, and the sooner she realized that the safer and better off they'd both be.

As if it were possible for someone to actually love a hanyou. Although she had been the first to ever like him, aside from Ryu…

With an agitated jerk he shook his head violently to dislodge even the merest trailing web of that idea. He resumed his pacing, his stride increasing until he was almost jumping completely from side to side of the room in his agitated state with his growing restless energy.

He still didn't understand why that meant he couldn't pick up the phone. At least then he could yell at her and take his frustration out on the person who'd caused it all, maybe even snap her out of her psychosis a bit sooner so that they could behave like normal around each other.

Where the hell had _that_ come from? Growling he spun and tore into his pillow, not caring if his client for the night wanted one or not. _Behave like normal?_ There shouldn't be anything normal about it! He didn't have long standing relationships with people; he didn't have people who cared to be around him for long enough; he shouldn't have any type of standard for _any_ relationship with a clearly misguided good-doer. So there wasn't any _normal_ to go back to because hopefully she would never come back!

Yeah, hopefully he'd never have to see her ugly mug again…

Inuyasha deflated a moment before ripping into the small bit of fluff left in his hands, all that was left of his decimated pillow. Despite all his anger he still didn't really get why he was avoiding her, and that bothered him just as much as anything else since things in his life had always been simple and clear cut before. All this girl did was muck stuff up and churn up things that would have been better off left alone.

At the knock on his door he snapped, finally giving into his anger and punching a hole in his wall.

* * *

"Good, then you're coming with me," the boar youkai said.

The words echoed in Kagome's head as the moment seemed to freeze in time, each second taking an eternity. She watched as he reached for her and spun her in front of him, one arm wrenched behind her back in a tight hold, the other still clamped tightly over her mouth from when she'd first started to scream. It was from that hand that she noticed his trembling. She could only surmise it was either from whatever anger he held that pushed him to abduction or from nerves at the act he was committing. It didn't really matter which, though, as she knew either one was dangerous to her as his captive.

Turning, he frog-marched her in front of him, then at the end of the alley came to an abrupt stop. "I'm taking my hand off and you're going to follow me like a good little girl. Not a peep out of you, you hear?"

Kagome nodded again, too terrified to make a sound even if her mind could've still formed coherent words. Everything she'd ever learned about self-defense came into her head and she thanked the school system for the mandatory nominal lessons all girls had to go through on self-defense. For some reason, one she'd never understood, they taught to go along with whatever your captor said, to do anything to prevent from angering him. She still didn't understand it but it was the easiest alternative she had to follow, and she did so unerringly until her thoughts halted again as he quickly shoved her through an open door into a tall house, shutting the door swiftly and silently behind them.

Gathering all the courage she could muster she turned to face her abductor, despite her embarrassment that she couldn't control the shaking in her limbs. "What do you want with me?"

He merely grunted and gestured her over with a wave of his hand, thankfully not putting hands on her again. The closer she looked at him, though, the more she saw how apparently nervous he was – and that could be bad her. She'd always heard that a nervous or jumpy captor was more dangerous than a calm one, more likely to be set off at any given moment. Still, something about him seemed slightly…off. He was fidgeting but the way he was looking at her made her think that he wanted something specific from her, something out of the norm for this type of situation, but…what?

She walked over hesitantly then watched as he pulled back a door and stepped away, gesturing for her to enter. Swallowing she stepped up to the door, keeping more attention on him than the room. Satisfied that he wasn't coming closer, or that if he did once she turned her back there was nothing she could do about it, she focused on what lay beyond the entry.

At first she couldn't make heads or tails of the situation her abductor had just tossed her into. There was a boy huddled in the far corner of the room under a blanket, and when the boar youkai behind her flipped on the light she was heartbroken to see the boy appeared only about five or six years old and was stark terrified. She took a step toward him but when he flinched she stopped immediately and chanced a quick glance back at the youkai behind her.

Unable to prevent herself from staring at the poor boy, she tried to soak in every detail she could. Though the resemblance between he and the adult behind her was undeniable, they still seemed oddly distinct. The one in front of her had no tusks, or at least none that she could see from across the room, and had significantly less hair all over his body. In fact, he looked more like a hairy human than a youkai. This all added up to one terribly odd picture and suddenly something clicked: the questions, the nerves, the quick departure…the poor boy huddled in a corner like he was terrified of the world. She didn't turn her eyes away from his as she asked of the youkai behind her, "Is he…?"

"Hanyou?" he supplied, and she watched in pain as the young boy flinched as though he'd been slapped by the 'dirty' word.

She nodded and the youkai confirmed, "Yes. He's my sister's son."

_Ah,_ she thought,_ and there is that hideous dissociation. Must make sure to point out it's your _sister's_ problem, _her_ fault and not yours._ She shook her head sadly and entered the room, walking toward the hanyou slowly as he was obviously wary of her. How often did he have contact if he was this skittish?

The boy focused briefly on her before his eyes snapped to the youkai towering behind her. Before she could contemplate making a move the boar snatched her back out of the room, the door sliding shut with an audible clack in front of her face.

"What are you doing? What are you on about?" she yelled in his face, fear forgotten after seeing that child.

"What does it look like?" he bellowed back, though not before moving her further away from the hanyou's door to the other side of the room. "I'm showing you what you've been asking about all over town!"

Her next words caught in her throat as she was stunned. She'd been so preoccupied with everything going on that she hadn't thought to wonder _why_ he'd risk introducing her to his nephew. Actually, come to think of it, she still only knew how he'd picked her_,_ not why he'd taken the chance on her.

"Why did you bring me here?" she asked quietly. She couldn't tell enough of him yet to be sure whether it was because he wanted to foist the bothersome hanyou onto someone else, wanted to rub her face in the reality of the situation, quiet her up by giving her what she wanted, or if he truly wanted to do something for the situation of the young boy.

The youkai blithely ignored her question though and continued slowly pulling her toward the door with the grip he still maintained on her upper arm. "Are you free next Thursday afternoon?"

Puzzled she tried her best to stop him, which was a pathetic attempt compared to his strength, but he acquiesced to her (unspoken request) and didn't make any further movement toward the door - though he didn't relinquish his hold on her either. "I'm going to be in class," she hedged, not sure she wanted to give away her specific location to this...interesting individual. "Why?"

"I want you to come back, visit the boy. I wasn't sure if or when I'd find you so he wasn't prepared for meeting you today, as you could see. He's not particularly comfortable around humans."

That answered that question for her. It was obvious to her now that, despite all his bravado and rough exterior, this youkai cared at least somewhat for the hanyou. Turning to face him fully she bowed formally, or tried since she could only move her upper body a few inches down with the fierce grip he still had on her arm. When he saw what she was doing though he released her, puzzled.

That answered that question for her. It was obvious to her now that, despite all his bravado and rough exterior, this youkai cared at least somewhat for the hanyou. Turning to face him fully she bowed formally, or tried since she could only move her upper body a few inches down with the fierce grip he still had on her arm. When he saw what she was doing though he released her, puzzled.

"My name is Kagome Higurashi and I would be happy to come back sometime. Pleased to meet you."

The boar youkai huffed as though expecting any reaction out of her except that one. After all, he had just man-handled her to his home and thrust this situation on her. He hadn't expected her to accept it with any amount of grace under those conditions. "I'm Yami."

"And your nephew?"

He viewed her skeptically. Though she had been asking around about hanyou diligently and seemed a nice enough girl there was really no telling what her motives were. Still, he supposed he couldn't do any further damage by giving her the boy's name, not after he'd already given his and shown her where he and his nephew lived. "His name's Josef."

Her eyebrow raised in question.

"His father was German. Some family name or another from his side."

_Well_, she thought, _that explains that._ "What about Friday?"

He looked at her in surprise and she realized that he must've been half-expecting her to not follow through in her promise to come back. Slowly though he shook his head. "Not during the day, but what about the evening?"

"I work at a clinic," she frowned. "Tuesday?"

Gazing into the distance for a few seconds he finally nodded. "Yes, that'll work fine."

"Wonderful," she returned. "I guess I'll be going then and we'll meet again next week."

As soon as she set her hand on the door Yami's gut clenched as he realized the enormity of what he'd just done. He could handle it if he got himself into trouble but what if the girl turned against them or made a simple slip up and it hurt Josef? Hell, even getting himself into trouble would land the young hanyou in an untenable position since no one else wanted to take the boy on.

He hissed after her, using the most threatening and sinister voice he was able to manage. "You won't tell anyone you've been here, especially not what you were here for."

Kagome froze immediately at his tone, continuing to face out the doorway as she schooled her features into some semblance of control. "Of course I won't. Do you think I'm stupid?"

He nodded once. "Good. But I tell you now, if anyone does find out then I will hunt you down and personally gore you through myself."

That took her off the defensive and made her angry. "You most certainly will not."

Yami was taken aback and blinked at her, not expecting any resistance. "I beg your pardon?"

"If anyone finds out then I'll expect you to back me up. If you won't stand with me in support of your nephew then who will?" She turned then to look at him over your shoulder. "But I'll keep quiet. I don't want conflict for that precious child anymore than you do, believe me. For whatever reason, you trusted me this much to bring me this far into your home so don't worry. I have my own reasons I'm fighting for here as well and wouldn't do anything to betray it or you."

She smiled at him then and the mood lifted slightly, though both were left dazed with the enormity of the undertaking they'd just entered in together. "Does human food suit your taste as well? I really have no idea about such things."

He wasn't sure he could get used to this strange girl with her random mood and topic changes. "Most of it suits well enough," he shrugged.

"Fine, then I'll be here at 1pm on Tuesday with plenty of food." She nodded to him one last time before she slipped out the door.

* * *

Inuyasha lay on his stomach, the open lash wounds on his back – courtesy of a new toy from one of the regulars – prevented him from turning over, or from moving much at all really, not if he wanted the skin to heal correctly and keep from pulling in odd ways later on. He'd learned that one the hard way. Luckily for him, in that particular case, another, later client had ripped open the same patch of skin, allowing it to heal correctly the second time.

Head turned to face the wall he resolutely tried to keep his mind occupied and in his last ditch effort he even attempted to make faces out of the chips and cracks in the finish. Not that he hadn't done so countless times before. When the last visage he conjured looked vaguely like Kagome's smile he sighed, defeated, and closed his eyes. Reluctantly his mind drifted back to the closet he'd been trying desperately to ignore. He kept her letters stashed safely inside but it honestly wouldn't matter even if something did happen to them. He had every word memorized, could almost hear exactly how she'd pitch each line.

That bothered him more than he could say, but since he didn't really have anyone to own up to or explain himself to it didn't really matter. Turning restlessly to face the closet he wondered for the hundredth time why she still bothered, why she continued to call and write him when she'd gotten no response. How she could persevere when there were so many things against her, against _them_?

Oh well. It was still a relatively fresh situation to her and he was still a novelty. It would wear off in time and she'd learn soon enough.

With a frustrated sigh he shifted to face the wall again, willing his mind to shut off long enough to let him get some sleep.

* * *

Over the next several weeks Kagome visited with Yami and Josef multiple times and not only had she and the boar youkai gradually become friends, but the young hanyou was finally loosening up around her.

It turned out the boy had lived with his mother and father in a ningen community first and, though he was loved by his parents, still hadn't been allowed out of the house because they had feared for his safety.

His parents had then drowned together in a storm, trying to cross a flooded road in their small car. In the beginning it had seemed that the father's family was going to be loving and accepting to the new adoptee, as had been hoped for when the parents had chosen their son's name, especially when the extended relatives took the trouble to fly him all the way to Germany to live with them. It hadn't been long though until the family became abusive to the point where he had nearly died several times. Apparently they blamed him for his parents death; they claimed the couple had been attempting to get home to him, and if his presence hadn't been such a burden then they'd still be alive.

At first Yami hadn't wanted the bother of taking in his nephew, not when he was a bachelor, and not a hanyou by any means. After finding out the extent of how Josef was treated though his familial pride and honor kicked in and he pulled the now physically deformed boy from the situation he was in, albeit reluctantly. The young hanyou still walked with a limp from when the family had repeatedly broken his right leg when he was only one-and-a-half years old, never allowing it to heal correctly.

The past few years had been good to the pair though and they obviously cared for each other. Yami now had a wife as well, Mitsuki, who cared for Josef as well she could. They admitted that she was still too prejudiced and would need more time but by both Yami's and Josef's words she had made great strides considering where her original standing had been.

Yami had refused to give Josef up in order to marry and wouldn't deceive a woman and stick all of them in an uncomfortable situation so he told Mitsuki about his charge when he asked her to marry him. Just the fact that she'd been willing to marry Yami when she knew about Josef was proof enough in itself that not only did she have great love for her betrothed, but she was also willing to change her worldview, despite how long it would take. Kagome had yet to meet the boar youkai's wife but it seemed that she traveled often on business and would be out of the country another two months at least. It seemed an okay arrangement for the family though as it gave them all the breathing room they needed to make adjustments at their own pace. She truly admired them all for being so patient with each other.

"I need to be getting to class," she said suddenly as she glanced at her watch, rising from the table. "Thanks for lunch again."

Walking around the table she patted Josef on the head. It still surprised her how soft his hair was despite its scraggly appearance. "I hear someone has a birthday coming up soon," she whispered conspiratorially and smiled as his face lit up and he beamed up at her. "And eight years old too, such a big boy now!" She'd found out privately from Yami that the reason he looked so young for his age was because the continual beatings he'd had early on had stunted his growth. Still, now that he'd been under his uncle's care for a while he was looking healthier all the time and started looking closer to his age.

"Now let me see…"she said straightening, tapping her index finger against her chin. "I think this calls for a party." She turned to Yami, trying hard to keep the smile from her face as Josef was practically bouncing in his seat. "What do you think? Has he been good enough this year to warrant one?"

Yami took his time to contemplate the question. "Well, I don't know…there was that one time he spilled juice all over the floor…"

Josef couldn't contain himself any more and burst out of his seat. "Oh come on, I promise I'll be good. Please? I've never had a party. You know you want to give me one." He spun from his uncle and turned on Kagome then, nearly tackling her to the floor. "Please, Kagome, pretty please? Will there be cake? And balloons?"

She couldn't help herself anymore and burst out laughing as she fell to the floor under Josef's attack, returning in kind until they were in an all-out tickle war. "Of course you get a party, you silly goof. Who else do Yami and I have to spoil?"

He bolted out from under her and nearly jumped on his uncle. "Really uncle, really? I get a party?"

Yami smiled, a look Kagome still had to get used to with all the rows of teeth combined with the tusks. "Yes, kiddo, you do. I'm glad to have you here and we all get to celebrate together that you're turning a year older. How's that sound?"

"Yay! Terrific! Yay! Yay!" Josef was bounding around the room, jumping on his good leg as he shouted his joy. This was the one room in the house where he was allowed to do whatever he wanted to because Yami had been able to afford to outfit the one small area with sound-proofing. It wouldn't fool some youkai but thankfully most wouldn't be bothered to go out of their way trifle with a hanyou of all things. It did provide some sort of insurance though and a sense of security that soothed the worries of all involved, including Mitsuki, who was still more worried about others finding out than anything else.

"Josef," Kagome called, getting no response over the boy's raucous laughter. "Josef!" she called again, pulling him into a hug this time. "I still have to go."

"Aww…" he pouted.

She just smiled and tweaked his cheek. "No worries. I'll be here on Friday night for your p-a-r-t-y."

He slowly sounded out the letters, brow furrowing in concentration. It was harder for him since Yami was having to school the young boy in his free time but it was still better than she supposed most hanyou got, and besides she aided in whatever ways she could. Luckily he was still at a basic enough level that she could help him in his math. "My…party?"

"That's it," she confirmed. Before he could start another tirade of unintelligible happy noises she made her way over to Yami. The other bonus about helping Josef with his schoolwork was that meant his uncle got to teach _her_ some things too. "I nearly forgot. Did you happen to find that book?"

He smiled again as he pulled it out from under the table and handed it to her. "Now mind you, these are still just basic – _extremely_ basic – medical remedies that can be applied across almost all youkai species. Anything more advanced and you'd have to go on a race by race basis."

She waved his concern aside. "It's better than nothing." She looked almost as excited as Josef now.

"I still haven't found anything about hanyou, in any context. I sincerely doubt there's anything in print."

Nodding, she sobered immediately. "Yeah, unfortunately I'm beginning to agree with you. Maybe we'll just have to be the first ones to put something together, ne?"

"Well what about that boyfriend of yours?" he asked blithely.

Slowly she shook her head, just as much at Yami's continued insistence to call Inuyasha that, despite her objections, as at the situation. "He's still not answering my calls or returning my letters. It's still another month and a half until I see him in person and I honestly have no idea what his reaction's going to be. For now it's best to count him out of the picture as anything other than a figurehead."

His heart hurt for the girl. It was obvious that everything she'd accomplished had been spearheaded by her love for the blind fool, despite her insistence that he'd only kick started the idea. She hadn't gone into much detail about everything that had gone on between them or Inuyasha's past but he understood the hanyou had a terrible time of things and would take a long time to come around, if he ever did.

Looking over at his nephew he was immensely grateful that he'd found him when he had. There were still times that he wondered what it would be like if he didn't have Josef to take care of but those were greatly overshadowed by the joy he had in the boy and in knowing he was doing something important and worthwhile.

He didn't completely understand Kagome's insistence to keep the extent of her work from Inuyasha, despite how many times she'd explained it. She insisted that he had to love her before he could know due to his trust issues and pride. He, on the other hand, still figured that the hanyou would see her dedication to him if he could see how much she'd changed her life in order to fight to give him the right to change his. Only love could spur such a sacrifice. But he'd never met the whelp and figured if Kagome was truly this gung-ho about him then she had to know him pretty danged well.

It just pained him to see such a conflict without an easy resolution anywhere in sight, especially for someone who he'd come to care for so much. He knew that every time she wore that dazed look or her head was off in the clouds it was because she was thinking of him. He still didn't understand how the boy could question it. Maybe if he ever had the chance to meet him he'd set him straight. But those were only wishes. For now…

He shook his head to clear it, becoming aware that Kagome was giving him a questioning look. "Sorry, busy planning the party already." He smiled and hoped she bought it, but if she didn't she didn't say anything.

"Ne, I must be off then. I'll probably be late to class as it is." At least now she had the book to sooth Professor Hirohito afterward so maybe he wouldn't reprimand her too harshly.

With one last wave to Josef she jogged out the door and down the street, already composing her next letter to Inuyasha in her head. She needed to get it out tonight since all her time would soon be taken up in shopping for Josef's present, studying her new youkai medical book, and preparing for exams. Still, it wasn't that bad. At least being so busy kept her from having time to dwell on how much she missed him every day.

* * *

Kagome left Josef's party, a big smile plastered across her face. As soon as the door shut behind her the mask dropped and her smile faded to a bittersweet recollection. She couldn't help it – there were just too many similarities between the boy and Inuyasha.

At first she'd been delighted to see how overjoyed the young boar-hanyou had been at having an actual birthday celebration, complete with presents, cake, and games for the three of them to play. (Yami had confided in her the week before that his wife had actually been willing to attend but that she had worried that the tension between Josef and herself would ruin the boy's day. No amount of arguing or cajoling on his part had been able to convince her otherwise.)

As the night wore on though it struck her how sad it was that such a small celebration could mean the world to him – to have people who truly appreciated the fact that he was alive. It had suddenly hit her how much sadness she could still see hidden behind his eyes, held at bay for the moment, but still there nonetheless. Not only that but it was exactly how _her_ hanyou had looked so often, and just as it broke her heart every time then it did again now. However, knowing Inuyasha's reactions and suspecting Josef's to be similar, she made her smile extra bright and hoped her realization didn't show through.

Now, as she wandered her way out of the youkai sector, her mind reluctantly shifted back to Inuyasha despite willing herself to stay away from thoughts of _still_ hadn't written or called her back. The gall he had to ignore her! Only another 6 weeks, 2 days, 3 hours…she glanced at her watch…37 minutes and 12 seconds until she saw him again and could clobber him for making her feel like that.

She suddenly had to repress the urge to scream.

Somewhere in the back of her mind she could still feel the worry eating at her, that she was becoming a bother to him or that he'd only used her. Of course, she told herself she knew better, but even though it didn't make sense with what she knew about him she still couldn't help it. She just had so much invested in him…

Deliberately she pushed the thoughts aside yet again. She knew he cared for her, at least on some level. Whether it was as strong as her feelings she wasn't sure – actually she wasn't sure if he was _capable_ of such at the current time, what with how emotionally stunted his life had left him. She almost snorted at the idea. Yet if she truly loved him she shouldn't have a problem giving him all the time he needed and waiting, however impatiently, for him.

She had no idea what could be keeping him from replying for this long – though if it truly was just pride she actually might follow through on all her mental threats to maim him. So all she could do in the meantime was hope, praying that would be enough to carry her through the next six weeks.

"Halt, thief!"

She was jerked abruptly from her musings as the sounds of a commotion erupted behind her. She pivoted on the sidewalk to see two policemen chasing an adolescent boy, who obviously had something stashed under an oversized jacket. What surprised her most was that each man had his gun in hand instead of in its holster.

The boy was making a break down the street she was on, set to pass her and likely turn the corner in just a few more seconds. She shifted her gaze back to the pursuers and to her horror she saw that one had stopped and now had his gun trained on the thief.

Before she even got a chance to scream she heard the crack of the gunshot and the boy went down, blood immediately seeping out from beneath him onto the asphalt.

Without thinking of what she was doing she ran to the felled boy, horribly understanding the situation now. The impact of the shot had knocked his hat off and in the light of the sinking sun everything had come to show. Though he didn't have any extremely obvious markings his skin was an odd, almost shiny, translucent shade, unnatural for any human.

In other words…he was hanyou. Kagome choked back a sob as she cradled his head in her lap. Her hysterics wouldn't help the boy any, but it wrenched her gut to realize he was about the same age as Souta…even had eyes kind of like his. It was even harder to control herself when he half turned to look up at her and blinked already glazing eyes. He was dying even as she held him.

He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but then the awful death rattles started. She clenched up, desperately wanting to look away from the scene but she forced herself to watch, feeling bound to honor him by being there to witness his final moments, to let his last memory on earth be a compassionate embrace instead of two ugly cops full of hatred.

His hands inched up hers until he grasped her around the forearms, his grip tightening as he went into his final convulsions. She wished she had something, _anything_ to ease him on but the hospital was a world away and a bullet in the lung was dangerous at any time. She couldn't even think of a single measly word to say, not that anything would be of much comfort to him anymore.

With one last deep, shuddering sigh his hands fell from her and his head went limp against her thighs.

She didn't move; she couldn't. If she tried she knew the world would break into a thousand sharp, jagged pieces that would cut her apart. She stared down at the empty body that used to house the life of a boy, only coming out from her daze when she heard the snide remarks of a man beside her.

"Wasn't worth the waste of the bullet. You know this vermin?" The question was obviously directed at her so she peeled her eyes away to look up at the man. He was the older of the two policemen and the one who had fired the shot.

Numbly she shook her head.

"Then what you doing holding his sorry ass for?"

Kagome squinted her eyes at the man. _Is he for real?_ "He was shot down in the middle of the street, away from any family or friends. I couldn't let him die alone," she finished quietly.

"Hah, as if his kind have any friends, or any family that would own up to them for that matter." She had the distinct impression that if she hadn't still been holding the body then the policeman would have kicked it, despite the fact that he didn't seem angry. In fact he almost seemed…bored?

"A life is still a life," she retorted in the only way she could think of.

The man shook his head, shrugged his shoulders, and strutted – actually _strutted_ – away. It was the first time she'd been exposed to this kind of abject species-arrogance from anyone. It was strange, in a way, because he made it seem like it wasn't an emotion at all. He just took it for granted that hanyou weren't worth anything, weren't even worth the air they breathed, and that was just that. There was no burning anger behind it, no righteous indignation, just a complete way of ignoring that hanyou were a race of sentient beings. He'd probably have reacted more harsly or been more regretful had he had to put down a rabid street dog.

She'd thought Kazuma had been bad, and as much as she still loathed that man, she now knew that once her emotions returned in full force she'd hate this man more. At least Kazuma had a genuine dislike for Inuyasha as a person as well as his race that guided his actions. This policeman would just sit from a distance, bomb an entire race away, then yawn and go about his daily business as if nothing significant had just happened at all.

As he walked away the older man clapped his partner on the shoulder. "I'm going to get my motorcycle so we can start putting the report in. Be careful with that one," he nodded at Kagome over his shoulder, "I think she must have escaped from a loony bin." He walked away, guffawing loudly at his own joke or apparent lack of confidence in her sanity.

The younger man approached in a much more solemn manner, though considering he was half of the responsible duo, she still didn't care to have him standing there.

"I'm sorry you had to get involved in this," he said evenly, almost a touch regretful.

She wasn't sure if she was sorry or not. She knew she'd likely have nightmares for weeks because of this but at the same time she'd kept the boy from dying alone. In the end she let her silence speak for her as much as it could.

The officer shuffled his feet a bit, looking visibly relieved when the ambulance slowly made its way around the corner. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry," he started and she could almost believe him. Unfortunately for him it was too little too late.

"Sorry?" she hissed, seething at his trite way of putting this situation, even if he wasn't as bad as his partner. "You think sorry cuts it? You gunned down a pre-pubescent boy for what, stealing?"

"Armed robbery," he interjected quickly.

"Armed robbery," she repeated, not bothering to keep the snide tone from her voice. "With what?"

"Those claws of his are as dangerous as any concealed weapon. He sliced at a couple people on his way – they're going to need some pretty heavy stitching up." He glanced pointedly at her arms as well but she chose to ignore his leading. She hadn't even noticed that after the boy's nails had sunk into her skin they'd apparently ripped down the entire front of her arm. There was no sting at all – shock she figured – and she didn't think she could bring herself to care even had the cuts burned like hell.

She took a long look at the hanyou in her arms. She wondered what he was like in life – what had prompted him to such brutal action. Had he been cornered? Was he hungry? Orphaned? Stealing to live? Or was he was of those hardened criminals who did it just because he could, because it made him feel more powerful? She felt disinclined to believe the last one but she had to admit it was possible. Still, even in the worst case scenario, this scene still wasn't justified.

Her eyes glittered with rage as she shot a glare at the man, nodding her head slightly in the direction of the still-bulging jacket. "Is that what you call justice?"

The man looked affronted for all of a moment, straightening in surprise as his eyes widened, but then he slumped and slowly shook his head. "No, ma'am, I don't."

"Then why?" she half sobbed, half screamed at the shaken man. "Why shoot him for something any other kid his age would get juvenile detention for? Why go so far as to end his life, then just clean up the mess and move on?"

He paused a moment, and it seemed to her he was truly considering the question, which appeased her at least somewhat. "What else could we do? Our jurisdiction is to protect humans from crime – whether from themselves or other species. That kid put some people in the hospital, and from the look of your arms there might be another one added to his roster. We couldn't ignore it and let him go, but there's nothing we could do by picking him up. There's no juvie for hanyou; our court system has no jurisdiction over him to send him anywhere. None of the bureaucracy could really do anything and so we're in a bind as well. We only have two options: ignore the threat or eliminate it. With human casualties you can guess which the system encourages us to do."

She nodded, only vaguely aware that two people were now trying to pry the still warm body from her. Her only thought was that at least they were gentle.

"As soon as we get the body bagged we'll be right back to treat you, okay honey?" came a disembodied voice from somewhere around her. The way they were speaking so kindly and quietly to her made her wonder if she'd been right about the shock, or if they just thought she would snap. Maybe the older cop's 'loony bin' crack hadn't been a joke at all.

The only thing she could think of at that moment was that she most definitely could not be part of the reasoning they used to authorize killing that boy. She wouldn't go to the hospital as one of his 'victims,' so while the medical team was busy and the policeman had gone off to compare notes on the report his partner was filling out, she quietly slipped away.

She wandered aimlessly for a bit before realizing she was attracting stares, both because of the blood covering her clothing and the cuts down her forearms. She felt numb, like her mind was stuck in molasses, and wondered what she should do. It took her a full ten minutes to come up with her plan, and when she finally did she could have kicked herself for her stupidity and slowness. Of course Professor Hirohito would take care of her. If nothing else she felt she could trust his sensitivity to the situation in that he wouldn't be reporting her 'attack' to any authorities.

With a sigh she turned around and half-heartedly began trudging her way toward the school, though she quickly became lost in thought.

The more she learned the more hopeless the hanyou plight seemed to become. How much garbled legal junk could surround something? _Apparently a lot_. The more she understood the higher up the problem seemed to go. Now it wasn't only about getting people to accept hanyou in their families and communities, it was about legal rights they didn't have to walk the street.

Sure, she'd _known_ about it. After all, that was the reason Inuyasha was stuck in the Shrine and needed that blasted rosary to go out with her...but it was still a completely different thing to _see_ someone shot down in front of her for no worse reason than being born mixed. Yes, the boy had stolen and hurt people, and yes that was wrong, but why was he treated so differently than a youkai or ningen? It just didn't make sense! So now it was also a legal battle. From what she'd read in her history books there couldn't be complete equality in any society (if any culture _ever_ became _completely_ free from prejudice) until both the political and social factions treated people equally.

And, darn it, but she'd never felt so useless or so in over her head. She wondered dully if she'd ever be able to do anything for Inuyasha or if he was right to leave her when he did. It saved him from being pulled into her hype only to have herself and her promises fall abysmally short.

With a start she heard her name being called and brought her thoughts back to the present to see Houjo jogging up the sidewalk to her.

"Kagome, what happened? Are you all right?" He broke from his usually very proper decorum by taking her left hand gently and pulling her arm up so he could examine it.

She didn't know how to explain, how to put her jumbling thoughts into coherent sentences but it appeared he caught on quickly enough after watching her mouth open and close a couple times. "It's all right, you don't need to say anything now. Why didn't you head straight to the hospital though?"

Taking a look around she realized she was on the wrong street. When she got lost in her thoughts she must have gone on autopilot and taken the most habitual route – the one to her house. She was actually almost home already and could only suppose that Houjo was heading back from the university to his own house as well. "Dr. Hirohito…" she trailed off lamely.

"Okay, if that's what you want. I'll walk you to make sure you arrive safe and sound." He was too polite to say so but she was guessing by his tone he thought her appearance would at the least cause a commotion in the more congested commercial area, at the worst get her questioned and picked up for being suspicious and covered in blood. Logical, she supposed.

"That sounds good."

* * *

**A/N:**

**First, there are **_**many**_** people who've requested to be put on the update list but never gave me an email. I obviously need one for you to be able to send out an alert. So if you didn't receive one for this chapter, you know I don't have yours.**

Second, I hope you all know I don't plan to ever give this fic up until I finish. I'm rather stubborn about finishing things, regardless of the fact that it may take me a long time…sorries? Anyhow, if you're ever wondering about status or updates you can check my livejournal. Hopefully it'll let you know I'm not dead ^_-

Thanks to Akihana for giving this the once over, even when so busy, and thanks to everybody again!


	15. Devotion

Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler

* * *

**Chapter 15: Devotion**  
- Ardent, often selfless affection and dedication, as to a person or principle  
- Earnest attachment to a cause, person, etc.

* * *

Leaving Dr. Hirohito's lab, Kagome slowed her walk and willed her hands to stop trembling because they were shaking the papers she was studying so intently.

The experiences of the day had opened her eyes more than she could understand in her shell-shocked state, and she knew that she likely wouldn't comprehend the full ramifications for some time. Maybe she'd been too caught up in the event itself, but it had taken Dr. Hirohito to shed some light on the main issue.

The position and equality of hanyou wasn't just a social problem, it was also a legal one – possibly even primarily so. Thus if she really wanted to throw herself into this she'd have to tackle the cause on its own level.

The professor had then given her a letter of recommendation and papers authorizing a transfer to a local junior college for law school.

She was stunned. Through all of this she'd been so naïve, so blind to the fact that to make a difference she'd also have to make sacrifices. She had figured all along that she would take in Inuyasha, publically declare their relationship, and let him prove himself to the world. From their example people would see that hanyou weren't mindless, weak, or anything to be ashamed of. Families would stop hiding such 'indiscretions' in their midst and hanyou could start living normal lives.

She scoffed. She was now beginning to realize just how simple-minded she'd been about the whole thing, not to mention selfish.

If that was the course of things then she'd get everything she wanted – her life, her hanyou, his love…her career. Sure, it might be uncomfortable at times, what with prejudice everywhere, but she was sure her friends would have no trouble accepting the guy she was determined to be with.

Thinking back to the month Inuyasha had spent at her home she realized what a fool she was. They'd had a lovely time and she didn't understand how he could so vehemently deny it, but then they'd never really left her family's land. There'd been no example they were setting at the time because she'd left him hidden safely away from prying eyes and cruel words. She wondered if that was more protecting him or imprisoning him? Regardless, if she truly hoped to make a model from their relationship as she had thought all along, then they'd have to be in the public eye much more often and that's where it started to ask so much of him.

She'd have to give up almost nothing while Inuyasha would have to leave the relative 'safety' of the Bacana Shrine and be paraded around in public, a target to unsolicited insults from every corner. At least at the Shrine he knew what would be coming his way – despite how much they both hated it. And here she'd thought she was doing such a good thing…

Laughing sadly she realized her error, because now she saw the truth of it – at least more than she had before. Even if a few perspectives shifted because of their 'shining example,' with a system in place that perpetuated such bigotry it wouldn't go far. There'd have to be a full out revolt for such a system to change, and from one couple living their normal, quiet, suburban lives…not likely.

She shook her hands out in frustration before going over the papers again. She wasn't sure if the tremors were from the adrenaline drain and her wounds, or from the shock of having her reality crash in on itself. Either way it was another blatant reminder of something she couldn't ignore: a decision she had to make.

Could she give up her dream, her lifelong goal of becoming a doctor? Was it worth it, or would it be in the end?

She'd have to switch to a _junior_ college because she hadn't been in normal classes for a year – only medical specialties – and probably wouldn't have the grades to qualify for an upper level school anyhow. She'd have to study a field which she'd never had interest in before, and not only understand it and how to work within it, but find loopholes and ways around it and ways to change it. Could she really switch her life around like that and give up so much, take on so much? _Would_ she?

And maybe even more importantly…could she really claim she loved Inuyasha if she didn't?

With a sigh she wished the answer would just be simple.

Resolving to think more on the matter later and talk it over with her mother first, she carefully folded the papers and put them into the bag Professor Hirohito had lent her. Her blood-soaked clothing was hidden inside, just in case any was salvageable. The thought made her gaze down wistfully at the borrowed scrubs she was wearing.

Life seemed to have gotten a whole lot more complicated since she'd met Inuyasha.

* * *

Mrs. Higurashi waited impatiently in her living room for Kagome to arrive. Dr. Hirohito had just called, informing her of the situation. He'd tried to assure her that Kagome would be just fine – at least physically – but a mother couldn't help but worry.

For the first time in a long while she wished they owned a car so she could go pick her daughter up, but she'd never bothered to get her license. Vehicles cost so much and it was just so convenient to get everywhere by subway. Walking and biking had served them well for shorter distances – until today.

In a slight panic, she'd insisted that she would walk over to the school to pick Kagome up and accompany her home, but the professor informed her she had already left. The stubborn girl had refused to let him call while she was there, not wanting to worry her family overmuch. Since she didn't know exactly which route her daughter would be taking on her way back and didn't want to take the chance of missing her, Mrs. Higurashi had to content herself to wait.

After informing Souta and Grandpa Higurashi – she didn't want them surprised by the sight of Kagome, after all – she'd sent them outside. Despite the fact that she knew Souta could sometimes lighten her daughter's mood like no one else could, she guessed Kagome would be more distressed by his presence, whether it was for worry of frightening her little brother or not being able to speak her mind completely. In a way only a mother can know she understood Kagome would need to deal with some of the harsher things first, before she could start dealing with and processing everything.

In all honesty there were things that she herself probably needed to share at this point too.

Resigned to waiting, Mrs. Higurashi decided to spend her time as productively as she could, making tea and trying to put her words together.

* * *

Kagome trudged into the entrance hall and toed off her shoes before stepping inside. She wasn't at all surprised to see her mother standing just inside the doorway. Without a word Mrs. Higurashi took the borrowed bag from her and embraced her in a long hug, sorrow filling her at the way her daughter sagged against her. Pulling back after a few moments, she reached for Kagome's arm and examined the job Dr. Hirohito had done. She was aghast at the size of the wound - she was wrapped from wrist to elbow - and wondered if they'd had to do stitches due to its size. Kagome's gaze was weighted, however, and she knew there were better issues to address at the moment. She'd find out soon enough anyhow, considering she'd have to help her daughter redo the dressings every day. slowly examined her arms and the wrappings Dr. Hirohito had put them in.

Gently releasing her arm, she pulled her in for one more hug before taking the hand of her uninjured arm and leading her into the kitchen.

"Do you want to talk?" she asked, knowing that even if Kagome said 'no' she would prod her. Yes, the girl would need time alone to process, but she also needed companionship, a way to release her sadness, anger, frustration, and a whole host of other things that she, as her mother, wouldn't be able to help her through if she locked herself away in her room.

Kagome nodded in mute agreement.

Mrs. Higurashi nodded in return, relieved and tense all at the same time. "Do you want anything to eat, some tea perhaps?"

Though Kagome felt famished her stomach still rebelled at the thought of food. "Tea sounds good."

She followed the older woman into the kitchen, an expectant silence filling the air between them. _Is she waiting for me to say something first?_

She tried several times to start off, watching her mother's back as she flitted around the kitchen, gathering cups and kettle and taking them to the table, then returning to the kitchen for the honey she knew Kagome was fond of. Nothing came. How could she explain so much when words all sounded trite or inadequate?

Finally, it seemed, Mrs. Higurashi took pity on her as she poured the tea. "Your professor called me and told me generally what happened." She gazed at her daughter seriously, eyes piercing. "Are you all right?"

_Am I?_

Sighing at the lack of response she took another tack. "Did you know the hanyou boy?"

Kagome looked at her mother with suddenly bright eyes, eyes that had seemed so dead and remote only a moment prior. "No…" She trailed off slightly before adding, "but he was Souta's age."

"Oh, honey…" Mrs. Higurashi began, turning from the counter to embrace her daughter but a quick head shake stopped her in her tracks. It seemed her daughter needed to get this off her chest before accepting comfort. Perhaps Kagome felt she would burst into tears or simply melt into her embrace, and never get her story out. She stepped back, and gave her the space she needed.

"I didn't know things were going to be like this," Kagome started. "I had no idea – there was no way of knowing that simply caring about one guy would lead me here, to this. I didn't know it would force me to see such horrible things and make such difficult choices."

Mrs. Higurashi placed the tea on the table very deliberately and then sank into one of the chairs. After her daughter had met Inuyasha she had wondered if this particular point would ever come up. She had hoped to be able to keep her own secret well hidden but she supposed it was inevitable she'd have to divulge it considering the situation her daughter was in.

"Sit down, Kagome."

The younger woman looked wary, restless.

"There's something I should probably tell you. To this day I haven't told a single soul about this, not even your father, but I think it might help you now."

She finally relented and slumped into the chair.

"As you know, I went to the Bacana Shrine when I was younger. I was 23 at the time. Long story cut short, I spent the majority of my time in the company of a very handsome youkai."

Kagome's eyes snapped to her mother's face, suddenly alert.

"It's amazing how much you can feel you get to know someone in such a relatively short amount of time. In the end, he asked me to marry him."

Jaw dropping, Kagome had to force her voice to come out as she reiterated, "Marry? You...marry this youkai and not my father? What's this youkai's name anyhow?"

"Don't interrupt dear, I haven't gotten to the important part yet. And seeing as this is all part of the distant past I can't see why his name would matter.

"Anyhow, he told me he felt he needed to clearly explain the situation to me first, so I'd really understand what I'd be getting myself into.

"He had already been married twice and had three grown children, though I never did find out just how old he was. He said I would basically be a wife just for fun, though he worded it in a much nicer way than that so I wouldn't be offended. Actually, on the contrary, I wondered how dull his other marriages must have been.

"Regardless, he finally came to the most important point: children. He couldn't bear the thought of having hanyou in his family, let alone siring them himself, so he declared he wouldn't want any children with me."

Kagome looked appalled but her mother pressed on despite it.

"That was the breaking point for us. I liked him – I might have even loved him, though it's hard to tell in hindsight now. I knew I wanted children though and ultimately having kids of my own was more important to me than were my feelings for him. So in the end I declined his proposal.

"The next year I met your father, then had you and Souta, and you were – are – the light of my life. I have never looked back and I have never regretted my decision. Otherwise I couldn't be here with you right now."

Both women smiled softly at that.

"I knew, deep down inside I _knew_ what I wanted with everything that I was and I went after it. The question is, precious child of mine, what is _your_ greatest desire and what is most important to _you_?"

Her mother never ceased to amaze her. She knew Professor Hirohito hadn't mentioned the possible career-change - as he'd promised to keep it to himself - and with all the secrets they shared at this point she knew him to be trustworthy. So either her mom had some keen intuition and was just hinting on a vague level without knowing any specifics, or she'd followed her path to the logical conclusion and seen where it came to a head.

Kagome still felt like a fool for not seeing it earlier herself. "How did you know which was the right choice?" she asked, wondering how anyone could be so sure of anything.

Mrs. Higurashi gave a rueful smile. "I just imagined myself in either circumstance and tried to figure out where I sensed more joy and satisfaction. _Not_ happiness, mind you; that's fleeting and deceives easily. I'm talking about the stuff that sits at the root of your heart and prevails even through life's heartaches.

"You, and your brother especially – though don't tell him I said so or I'll find some really onerous chore for you to do – have given me more trials than I'd ever thought one woman could handle. Oh, there were days I just wanted to pull my hair out or ship you off to camp for a while, but still I wouldn't give you up for anything. It's like the feeling of working hard on something all day, laboring hard until even your bones ache, and then standing back to see what you've accomplished and taking pride in the finished product."

"And father?" Kagome asked almost timidly, refusing to meet her mother's eyes as if afraid she wouldn't like the answer.

"Yes, and what about your father? Well, I must admit that I have wondered from time to time if it would have been easier if I'd never married him. Now don't cringe like that. I'm pretty sure it would have been easier but since when have I ever taught you that easier is better? Hmm? Haven't you been listening to everything I just told you about how my children have made my life anything but?"

She softened the statement with a smile. "I didn't know I was capable of such love, honestly. I don't think I'd even realized how far I'd fallen until years into our marriage. But with the tallest highs comes the deepest lows as well. It's all part-in-parcel unfortunately. I thought my world had come to an end when he died, and if it hadn't been for the two of you kids, and even jii-chan, I know I would have broken. After that I feel like maybe he loved me too well, that either I'm spoiled for anything less satisfactory or that I just can't stand the thought of giving away 'his spot' in my heart to anyone else. Either way, _easy_ isn't a word I'd ever choose to describe it, but I'm not sure I'd have it any other way.

"Now back to my analogy or story or whatever you'd like to call it. With a youkai marriage my life would have been much different. I know I would have been well treated and had a more carefree, frivolous life had I accepted the proposal; I would have had benefits I couldn't have achieved any other way. But to me, as the scene stretched on in my mind, such things started to feel momentary and trite and…well…empty. I'm not saying it wouldn't be wholly satisfying to some people, and I'm not trying to say it's a shallower life, but my heart was just somewhere else."

Kagome blew her hair out of her face irritably. "But how do I know for sure?"

"You'll know."

* * *

Ryu just didn't know what to do with Inuyasha anymore. The hanyou was flying into rampages over the smallest things and was terrorizing both clientele and other workers alike. Even Kazuma only harassed him about half as much, since he'd been forced to scurry away multiple times from the threat of physical violence – and none of them doubted Inuyasha would follow through on his word right now.

Now Ryu couldn't bring himself to mind too much about Kazuma, after all the guy'd had it coming, but it was getting to the point that Inuyasha was disturbing the entire mood of the Shrine. Several rooms had been damaged to the point that they had to be closed for repairs and weren't able to be used for business.

It wasn't just that he found the tantrums annoying though. If this kept up he wondered how long the ubiquitous higher-ups – the same ones that had so graciously allowed him to keep Inuyasha at the Shrine in the first place – would continue to offer their place of business as a 'safe-house' of sorts for him.

He shook his head. Despite his promise to Kagome, he'd tell Inuyasha about her upcoming visit if he thought it would cool the hot-head down, but the thing was that he couldn't gauge what kind of reaction he'd have to the news.

So instead he just kept his head down and prayed to any kami that would listen for Inuyasha's temper to blow over soon.

* * *

Kagome had been to Dr. Hirohito's lab only once since the incident; she'd been so distracted that first time afterward – thinking about what had happened the last time she had been in the room – that he'd sent her away. She hadn't gone back since, knowing it would just be a repeat of the same events.

Yet she couldn't stay away from the school, especially considering that if she decided to go through with the transfer into law it wouldn't be _her_ school anymore and she would likely be too busy to just pass by on a whim. So she spent quite a bit of time in the medical library, or packed a lunch and read under one of the trees in the courtyard – though she continued to hide any legal literature behind her large anatomy textbook.

It wasn't really surprising, then, that she eventually ran into Houjo, even if it was summer break. She had avoided him the last couple weeks since he'd found her wandering the streets, covered in blood. She just hadn't known what to say to him and how she could explain what had happened, or even tell him how much she was getting involved in the subject of hanyou. She wasn't really comfortable revealing everything about Inuyasha and how he'd turned her onto the plight of hanyou and how unjust everything was.

Houjo was incredibly intelligent and a rather nice guy, but he wasn't really street smart and came across as relatively naïve sometimes. It seemed to her that such combinations often bred people who were rather stubborn and set in their opinions. She wasn't sure what his was on the subject of hanyou but she knew that she wasn't ready to face open opposition yet if it came to that. But how could she explain the situation and why she wasn't upset at the hanyou boy that had cut up her arm if she wasn't ready to tell him about her 'pro-hanyou' views?

He walked up to her where she sat in the shade and gave her a glowing smile that seemed to take up half his face. "I see you're healing well, Higurashi-san."

Kagome glanced down at her arm. It was true; other than small pink and white lines that criss-crossed over her forearm there were no indications that she'd been severely cut up. Dr. Hirohito had actually come to her house personally to check on her two days afterward, explaining that she'd taken some muscle damage that he needed to check and perhaps even suture. He hadn't wanted to tell her at the time of her injury because she'd obviously been in shock and he had hoped her body would heal it naturally on its own, the stitches in her skin being enough to set everything on the right path. Luckily he was right.

She remembered when she'd almost hoped her arm would scar to serve as a reminder but now she was very glad to see the small lines fade a bit more each day. She couldn't imagine what Inuyasha's reaction would be if he found out about the hanyou boy dying in her arms, which he'd most certainly be able to wring from her if he cornered her about any possible scarring she had. Not only that but it'd be terrible if anyone later tried to discredit hanyou by pointing to marks on her arms, claiming how dangerous they were even to 'allies.'

Shaking her head lightly Kagome looked up at Houjo, smiling back at him. "Care to join me?" she asked, patting the ground beside her. The two sat in silence, an awkward one for Kagome, as Houjo obviously expected her to start conversation since she'd been the one to invite him to sit, but she still had no idea what she could say.

"Houjo," she started tentatively, "about what happened…" She trailed off but he picked up where she was going when she absentmindedly rubbed the skin on her forearm.

"Ah, no worries," he told her cheerily. "Professor Hirohito already told me about it."

She stared at him in shock and it took her a moment to catch her bearings. "He – he did?" she choked about. "What did he tell you?"

"He told me everything," he stated matter-of-factly, as though it should be obvious.

Kagome goggled. _Everything?_ What right did he have to tell Houjo about her personal matters, even if it had been shoved into the boy's face when she'd all but fallen into his lap covered in blood. Her thoughts raced. Dr. Hirohito was an eccentric, yes, but he was a decent man and the two had agreed to keep their hanyou studies secret as much as possible. So had the professor just trusted him that inordinately, even to tell him about Inuyasha, or was what Houjo thought was 'everything' not truly _everything_?

Apparently she was thinking too long because Houjo plunged ahead. "He even told me you were most likely going to transfer into law. I must admit, that surprised me. I thought you'd always been set on a medical career."

She couldn't reply; she just sat staring at him, her mouth agape. Apparently the Professor really had told him absolutely everything.

"It was a good thing he told me about it though," he said brightly. "Dr. Hirohito thought it might be too much of a burden to completely give up medicine so he asked if I could continue to tutor you and keep you up to date as much as possible on what we're learning in class."

Kagome's mind was spinning. It sounded like her jerk of a teacher had planned this all and was trying to back her into a corner, taking away every excuse she could have for not switching to law school. What was he trying to get at? Why was he being so adamant – for him anyway – about all this?

She had to admit that his idea had merit, but still…what good did it do her to be able to nominally study medicine if that was what she truly still wanted as her career? Wouldn't that almost be rubbing it in her own face? There was still too much to consider and this only threw another wrench in the works – both Houjo's offer and Dr. Hirohito's obvious opinion of what she should do.

Nothing was going to resolve itself in that exact moment so she tried to be as gracious as she could, cognizant of the amount of time Houjo would be sacrificing to help her when he had his own workload to contend with. Smiling weakly, she said the only thing she could, "Thanks Houjo," and hoped things would become clearer soon.

* * *

Inuyasha just felt annoyed with the world. _No, not annoyed, pissed, furious, no – more than that…_he couldn't think of a world for how aggravated he felt. Granted, that wasn't an unusual occurrence for him, what with how the world seemed to love to use him for its own special whipping boy, but lately it was just rising to levels where all he could do to deal with it was to lash out.

First it had been the clients. There had been a couple really nasty ones back to back and no matter how long he was in the business there was no getting used to that. It put him in a foul mood for days.

Then there was the day he'd come back from dinner to find Kazuma snooping around his room. His story was that the higher-ups were demanding inspections to make sure _all_ the living quarters were sanitary and up to safety code so they couldn't get cited, and that meant Inuyasha's room had to get checked too. Of course the bastards hadn't cared enough to actually fix any of the inconvenient things over the years or send someone who really knew anything about safety standards, but he wasn't surprised.

It had been bad enough to find the piece of shit in his room but what had really set him off was the fact that he'd been about to open the closet – the one where he had all of Kagome's letters stashed. After seeing that he had barely heard Kazuma's words, he only felt an uncontrollable rage boiling up inside him that the one barely private matter in his life had almost been desecrated. The thought of what would have happened had the letters been found by someone like Kazuma pushed him teetering over the edge.

The resulting havoc he'd wreaked on the room had taken him two days to clean up and had gotten him a stern lecture from Ryu, but the wariness he now saw in Kazuma's eyes was worth it. Even though he still tried to act like an ass the pretence didn't carry well, especially when Inuyasha would fake a lunge at him and the man would flinch. That always brought a rare smile to his face.

That night he'd luckily had off so he didn't have to move rooms to satisfy some harpy's demands, so he had sat among the wreckage of pottery and wood and stared at the untouched closet – the only piece to escape unscathed – and went back and forth, debating whether to destroy every single piece of paper in there or read them all again, over and over. In the end he wound up with letters in hand, poring over them as he tore little bits off the edges.

As the days progressed he continued to get worse as he realized just how long it had been since he'd heard from Kagome. She hadn't tried to call in a couple months but she still sent letters rather regularly. Well, until recently. Even if he couldn't recall exactly when he'd received the last one, she'd dated each of them and, since he had each bit of information she'd written memorized, knew precisely when each had been sent.

He'd expected her attention to eventually wane, indeed he'd counted on it, but it still bothered him. He wasn't sure why and didn't want to know the reason it continued to nag at him even as he became more frustrated day by day.

But out of everything, worst of all was the fact that _that_ day was approaching - the one-year marker from the night he'd met her. It gnawed at him that he hadn't once needed to look at a calendar to know the approaching day, and that he could still clearly remember everything about that first night – indeed every night with her, every _day_ even.

She wouldn't leave his mind and it angered him to no end that he didn't _want_ her to.

At least that day would soon come and go, and when she didn't arrive and the marking point passed he could consider it officially over and maybe, just maybe, he'd finally be able to forget her and move on.

* * *

Kagome sat at the desk in her bedroom, pen poised over the paper – exactly as it had been for the last ten minutes. Finally she wrote a line only to scribble it out then add it to the wadded up notes already filling her waste basket. She'd tried so many times over the last month to write another letter to Inuyasha but couldn't come up with anything.

What could she say? She didn't want him to know anything about what she was doing about researching hanyou, or how she'd met Josef and Yami, or how she'd seen that poor hanyou boy die – not if she could help it at least. There were too many complications she foresaw about Inuyasha's reaction to such information, as she'd already discussed with Ryu. He could never feel obligated to her or he'd still feel imprisoned and come to resent her and her meddling. She knew she was a horrible liar, especially when Inuyasha was determined to find something out from her, so she had to steer as clear as she could from any topic related to her activities so that he had nothing to latch onto.

So that threw out most of what she'd done for the last year. She couldn't even tell him about the heartache she had trying to decide about possibly changing her profession or he'd sniff out the reason why, and it ate at her keeping so much from him. She wanted to be complete open with him, to share all of herself, but there was just so much that had to happen first.

She wasn't sure why, but she couldn't bring herself to write to him about her impending visit. Maybe it had to do with the fact that he hadn't replied to a single one of her contacts and that she wasn't even one-hundred percent sure he was receiving her letters, let alone reading them. She'd have asked Ryu to at least make sure the hanyou _got_ them but he'd already done so much for them already, aside from the fact that after her first phone call he'd told her he didn't want to get involved in their inter-personal drama. She could understand that.

More than that, she wondered if she was just feeling vindictive and didn't want to tell him as some sort of retribution for his avoiding her for so long. She tried to pretend she was fine but it really did hurt that he didn't acknowledge her at all. She knew it was unfair of her, that there could be so many circumstances preventing him from doing so, but she knew how stubborn he was and every time she remembered the way he'd walked out on her she felt sure he was doing it just to spite her.

So she kept that from him as her own sort of petty revenge. Oh, she'd still arrive all right, and the reunion would be sweet – after she'd taken him to task for ignoring her, of course – but in the meantime she was still stuck. What, oh what could she write? There were only so many times she could write the same platitudes: "How are you? I'm fine. The family's fine and they miss you. Weather's nice, clouds are pretty, grass is green…" and so forth.

In the end she sighed and gave up. She'd be seeing him soon enough anyhow, so in the meantime she may as well try to do something productive rather than sit at her desk trying to write a letter that would probably just be meaningless anyhow.

* * *

Yami sat watching Josef playing with Kagome, contemplating how different the girl had seemed the past few weeks. When he hadn't seen her for a full eight days after Josef's party he'd gotten a bit worried, thinking that maybe something they'd done had offended her as she typically visited them every couple days to help keep his nephew's spirits up. He hadn't sought her out because, while he'd asked vaguely about her family, they'd really spent most of their time talking about Josef and other hanyou and he felt a bit guilty to say he really wasn't sure of her situation. Not knowing what her family's reaction would be if a giant boar youkai came calling, he decided it would be best to stay away and wait for her.

When she finally did arrive, bandaged up and obviously drawn in, he'd made sure his nephew was safely occupied with a movie before starting his barrage of questions. At first she'd been very reluctant to say a thing but then it was like a switch flipped inside her and the whole story came flooding out. To say he was shocked would be an understatement, but as he watched her cry all he could do was marvel that the same girl he'd all but kidnapped months before could care so much about what had happened.

He'd kicked himself for allowing her to leave his house alone, guiltily feeling that he should somehow share the responsibility, but he hadn't let it show knowing it wouldn't help her. Instead he'd just placed his hand on her shoulder, offering silent support, and he knew that's what she'd really needed. With the look she bestowed on him he figured he was the only one she'd shared the entire story with, or at least in such an emotionally open state. Glancing back through the crack in Josef's door where he was safely ensconced in a fort of blankets, he felt that maybe he could understand why.

Since then she'd taken to asking him all manner of odd questions, seemingly out of left-field, and when she didn't explain he couldn't bring himself to pry. He knew she must have her reasons.

Lately she'd been on a kick of asking his opinions about what would really be needed to change the living system hanyou were mistreated under. At first he'd snorted in derision, as if such a thing were actually feasible, but her smoldering glare had stopped his chortle and almost made him drag his toe on the ground in shy embarrassment.

After all, why couldn't such a thing be possible? If someone didn't start thinking that way then nothing would ever get started, and then it really would be impossible. So he tried to take her a bit more seriously, even if it was rather difficult, given all he'd seen and experienced.

The problem was he had no idea what, if anything, would work. The first answer he gave her was that all hanyou needed to band together and form a separate city-state where they could be autonomous and self-governed. The next day he'd said such a thing would only encourage segregation and was a horrendous idea. His following idea had been slow assimilation into the culture through mass media – print, television, news, etc. – to get both races more familiar with and comfortable with the idea of hanyou running around. Then he'd followed with the concern that announcing the existence of hanyou without giving them rights first would be tantamount to declaring a hanyou-lynching holiday.

He really couldn't fathom a scenario where things would work out for their benefit and anytime he asked Kagome her ideas she just said, "Hmm…", and didn't answer him. Yami was beginning to wonder if there was a point to all the questioning or if it was specifically designed to drive him crazy.

Kagome looked up at him, putting her finger to her lips and nodding down to Josef who was sound asleep on some pillows in the corner where they'd been playing. He motioned her over to join him at the table and poured her a cup of tea as she sat.

"So…are you ever going to tell me why you're asking all these questions lately?" He kept his voice low while speaking despite the fact that Josef was a heavy sleeper. That was something that had changed drastically since Yami had come to adopt the boy and it warmed his heart to know how secure his nephew felt in his presence.

Kagome sipped slowly at her tea before answering. "Maybe."

He sighed and shook his head. "Sometimes I think you get some perverse pleasure out of keeping me in the dark."

She smiled at him and he was glad to see the action coming more frequently to her but he could tell it still had an anxious edge to it. "Yami, do you think there are many more hanyou out there like Josef, hidden by family, or that they're few and far between?"

He paused a moment to consider. "I'm not sure. It's hard to tell since it's such a taboo thing to mention. I'm sure some youkai know my nephew's here, especially neighbors, but I bet there are more that have no idea whatsoever. Why, what do you think?"

She hadn't told Yami about the conversation she'd had with her mom about the proposal she'd received from that youkai at the Shrine; she'd felt it too personal and that it wasn't her story to share in the first place. Something about it, though, had sparked a thought in her. For the youkai to make such a bold ultimatum indicated a great aversion and she wondered if it was because he had hanyou in his life that he wished weren't there. It made more sense than any alternative in her mind, yet he'd still sought out a human as a possible mate. Maybe the barriers between youkai and ningen were breaking down and more interracial couples were forming? No matter how her mind wrapped around it everything seemed to point to the prevalence of hanyou intermingled in society.

"I'm thinking they might be more common than we'd imagined." She said it with such certainty that Yami raised an eyebrow – the area of the face even _more_ hairy than the rest – at her. While she wouldn't give him her mom's story there was something she had that could still definitely enlighten him.

"When I was at the Bacana Shrine I really had no idea how anything worked. I didn't know there was a two-week limit to using any particular prostitute, so when time came I couldn't see Inuyasha anymore I got a couple bad guys then wound up directed to this youkai that had apparently been asking about me since I'd set foot on the property."

Yami's eyes widened infinitesimally. It was the first he'd heard of that.

"Kouga was a real nice guy but I figured out I liked him like a friend and nothing more, so that made things a bit awkward." She laughed as he scrunched up his nose. "Long story short he all but proposed to me, though I declined, but it gave me some interesting insight. He'd told me all about his first wife and how it was common for widows or widowers to seek second, third, or even fourth mates among humans since they are – and I quote – 'more fun'." She threw up her hands in exasperation. Even now she didn't understand the concept. How could a youkai be 'un-fun'? If a prospective mate was so boring in the first place why bother to go through with the marriage? Or if it was merely that they lived together for so many centuries, maybe she could start to understand that, but then what's so fun about mating with yet someone else who'd die before them? It still just didn't make sense.

"So, the point is, if this has become such a fad that he can say it's _common_ to do, then there must be some children that result from these reunions, no matter what precautions are taken. I've studied medicine…" If Yami wasn't youkai he probably wouldn't have caught her wince in the dim light, and he wondered at it. "…At least some. There are plenty of stories of babies being born from that 1% that birth control doesn't cover, or even after the father had a vasectomy. The only real fail-safe is a complete hysterectomy, but it's such an invasive and intense procedure I can't see many women agreeing to that easily." Like her mom for instance, even if her reasons had been different.

Slowly, Yami nodded. "That does make some sense, or at least gives scenarios for the likelihood of hanyou conception. I still doubt that many hanyou are around though."

Confused, eyebrows scrunched, she asked, "Why not? Weren't you the one saying how secret Josef is from some people, especially those who couldn't care less or who just plain aren't looking?"

"I wish this wasn't the reality of it, but if someone is that against having a hanyou child then the mere existence of the pregnancy isn't going to stop them. Most won't consider abortion because of the fact that most doctors require blood work and health checks and want status on both mother and fetal progress to make sure nothing would go wrong, especially nothing that could form the basis of a malpractice suit. That's not a very likely way to go though since anyone who doesn't want such a child is usually more than aware of the social implications and doesn't want a _soul_ to know about it, not even a doctor."

"Then what…?" she trailed off.

"Think about what happened to unwanted female children in any culture before post-modern society, or even today in any over-populated country."

She stared at him blankly, afraid of what he was going to say.

"In those that still have such problems today, it's not uncommon to pull up hundreds of newborn or infant bodies when they dredge a lake."

Kagome covered her mouth with her hand, both in shock at his revelation – one that she should have seen – and because she was afraid she might be sick from the revulsion she felt at the mere idea that he could be right.

For his part, Yami wasn't exactly delighted at the thoughts he'd just revealed to a girl so young, one who less than a year earlier had been as normal and naïve and innocent as the average human girl walking the streets. All the questions she'd been directing at him, though, seemed to be aiming this way and if she kept digging it was inevitable to come up with such conclusions. Whether the severity of his theory was true or not wasn't the point; just the fact that such conditions were already in their society that would allow for such actions were what was truly disturbing.

He hated to be the one to shatter her just a little bit further but from the glint in her eye he almost wondered if that was just what she'd wanted, or even needed to hear. The truth, exposed and un-made up, as unglamorous as it was, was an incredibly powerful thing.

Still, her face was whiter than he'd like so he decided it was time for a change in topic, preferably one that lightened the mood. As long as he was pulling out something completely new he figured he'd go for a certain subject in particular to see what kind of reaction he could get out of her.

"So…are you nervous about going to see that boy of yours?" To his amusement her face turned bright red and he couldn't help but laugh. "Well that answers that. When do you leave?"

She smiled sheepishly back at him. "Two weeks after my birthday. It'll be exactly one year since we met."

The gleam in his eye dimmed just a bit. "Is he really worth all this?" he asked, not meaning to sound derogatory or snide; he was just concerned for the girl and what she was getting herself into, let alone pulling Inuyasha into as well.

Kagome took another long swallow of her nearly cold tea. "Let me ask you this, Yami. Now that you know about Josef, once you'd met him, would you ever be able to turn your back on him or hold back absolutely everything you had in you to give, just because it wasn't convenient?"

He smiled ruefully, tusks poking out, as he shook his head. That was the answer he'd wanted to hear.

"It's not what I'd have originally picked for myself, partly just because I didn't know such scenarios existed, but also because it is hard. I can't say I haven't dreamed of an easy, ignorant life with a normal relationship, but it's too late for that because now I know, now that I've met Inuyasha. Besides, it's a bit odd to say, but as hard as it is it almost makes me appreciate the benefits that much more. The good things are that much more special."

She was getting this dreamy look in her eyes that he couldn't help but mess with. "Ah yes, _benefits_ can be a wonderful thing indeed. But with as long as you've been without them it's no wonder you've been so frustrated lately."

"Yami!" she squealed, scandalized, then picked up the cushion she'd been sitting on and lobbed it at his head. He'd been laughing too hard to dodge so she had the satisfaction of seeing it hit him square in the nose, which of course only made him laugh harder. He was _male_ after all. "You know that's not what I was referring to!"

He crossed his arms and looked at her pointedly.

"…Well, that's not _all_ I was referring to," she admitting with a large grin, giving into the urge to laugh along with him.

"Kagome? Yami?" a sleepy voice called from the other side of the room.

They both spun to see Josef standing tangled amidst his bedding, rubbing his eyes, and giving them every child's patented 'adults are crazy' look.

Kagome stood and grabbed her bag. "I think that's my cue to leave." Avoiding Yami's eyes to keep from seeing that 'knowing' look again, she rushed over and kissed Josef on top of the head before slipping out the door with a backward wave.

Yami just shook his head at her receding back, still amazed at her capacity to switch from one emotional extreme to the other. He supposed that was what made her able to adapt to the kinds of situations she kept finding herself in though.

Checking the door after she left he bundled his nephew up in his arms, blankets and all, and carried him to bed, thankful for her reminder once again that, though his life was much more difficult now, it was also inordinately more rewarding.

* * *

Time flew by for Kagome. Her birthday came and went and her appointment with Inuyasha was steadily approaching, far too quickly and too slowly at the same time. He still hadn't responded to any of the attempts she'd made to contact him and she couldn't help but worry what his silence meant.

However she was determined to go through with her plans, so that meant she couldn't allow herself to get distracted by her own worries. Instead she kept herself as busy as humanly possible, in Dr. Hirohito's lab after summer cram sessions to read and do some experiments or talking with Yami to learn more about youkai culture. They discussed what he knew about the differences between his own physiology and what he could handle compared to Josef's capacity, and how much he supposed was due to his age and background and how much due to his being hanyou.

And last, but not least, she learned all she could about the school the professor had recommended her to, studying the basics of law to see if it was something she could even begin to grasp her mind around and be interested in enough to pursue as a career.

All in all, she had her plate full and plenty to keep her busy until it was finally time to pack and leave on the train bound for the Bacana Shrine.

* * *

**A/N:** I was worried this was going to be a pathetically short chapter but after my beta helped to beef it up (read: beat me into submission…j/k) it should be about normal, ne? Arigatou Akihana.

Thanks to everyone for the support and for the four nominations in the IYFanguild: Best AU, Best Drama, Best Lemon, and Best Romance - Inuyasha/Kagome. Certainly helps boost an author's ego. Insert cheesy grin here XD


	16. Reunion

Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler

* * *

**Chapter 16: Reunion**

-the act of coming together again

* * *

In the train Kagome fidgeted non-stop: she walked the length of the car, took down her bag and rearranged the contents, counted her money, and then got up to do it all again. She thought she might even be more nervous than the first time she'd gone to the Bacana Shrine because now there was significantly more at stake for her.

At the thought she stiffened. After Inuyasha's reaction – or non-reaction – to her and her declaration he really didn't deserve her worrying over him like this or wondering how he'd take to seeing her again. He'd just have to deal with it since she was his client and tough luck if he didn't want to see her. So what if she didn't want to be like all his other clients? If they could do whatever they wanted then why did she have to tiptoe around things, especially when he was the one who'd walked out on _her_, the one who'd ignored _her_, the one who'd stepped all over _her _feelings until they resembled little piles of goo on the floor.

The anger started to pour through her and felt plain _good._ She hadn't allowed herself to feel that way, knowing that she couldn't blame him fully since she probably didn't know all the circumstances and considering she _did _know how damaged he was by his past. She was cursed with a conscionable mind that saw the situation couldn't be easy for him either. More than that, she'd been scared of what she might do if mad. Would she write him off and avoid him altogether as the offended party? She knew herself well enough to admit it was a possibility if she'd let herself get riled up enough and likewise knew that he was worth more than that to her.

But now she was on her way and there was nothing to stop her from reveling in it as the red-hot feeling pulsed through her. She'd held it back for so long and now relished how empowered it made her feel. Not only that but it lit a fire inside her that would carry her through her nerves at seeing Inuyasha again and maybe even the gumption to give him what-for as soon as she came within his hearing range.

As the train came to a stop Kagome stepped off the platform, suitcase in hand, and strode straight for the Bacana Shrine, not pausing even a moment to take in the splendor of the city at dusk as the lamps began to light.

No, she was determined. It had taken her too much conscious will to screw up her courage and come see someone who'd all but ignored her existence for the last ten months. If she hesitated the slightest bit she worried her cowardice or fear would take over and she wouldn't stand for that, not tonight.

Entering the Shrine she breezed right past Ryu's desk, not stopping at his voice calling out to her, just holding her hand aloft to acknowledge that she'd heard and trusting him to take care of her check-in paperwork.

Now she stood in the exact spot she had a year earlier outside Inuyasha's door, trying to still the dizzying sensations stirring in her gut. She felt an odd sense of déjà vu, like it was the very first time she'd stepped foot on the property and she didn't know what to expect on the other side of the door – only all her memories of _exactly_ what already _had _happened inside that room tugged at her at the same time.

This time things would be different though…they would _have_ to be. Taking a deep breath she stood up tall, squared her shoulders, then shoved open the door without bothering to knock. She was careful not to look up until she was completely in the room, the door closed securely behind her. Then, finally, after so many long months, she focused on his face again.

He hadn't made a sound since she'd entered and now she realized he didn't need to: his expression said it all. His jaw had dropped, mouth hanging open, his eyes were all but bugging out of his head, and he had paused, frozen, in the middle of twisting around on his bed to see who had dared to barge into his room like that.

Inside she raged again - she couldn't believe him! The jerk actually had the gall to be surprised at her appearance. It was clear from the way he was looking at her like she was a ghost that he'd never expected to see her again – despite her letters and her continued phone calls. It was clear that, even in the face of all her actions, he didn't believe a word she'd said.

"Kagome," Inuyasha choked out, his voice rife with shock, "you're here."

That was the last straw for her. She marched right up to him and slapped him across the face. "How, how could you do that to me? How could you just walk out on your son and I like that?"

As soon as the words left her mouth she froze, eyes wide and muscles tense. _Where in the _world_ did that come from? Son? How much of an idiot can I be? _

After a moment of mentally hyperventilating she finally calmed and then shrugged it off. She'd already dug her hole so she may as well continue in the same vein. Besides, he really did deserve some kind of riling with all he'd put her through the last year, what with her being so nice and all to give him periodic updates on _her_ life so _he_ was never wondering and gnawing away with guilt. Prick.

She almost recanted her words once she saw the purple shade his face had taken on but just as she opened her mouth he cut her off.

"My…son?" he asked. It was too much; she couldn't stand the look on his face, but she'd look like too much of an idiot if she gave up now without making her point first.

She crossed her arms over her chest, turned her head to the side, and thrust her nose up in the air. "Yes, something you might know about if you bothered to answers your calls once in a while or reply to a letter. What was with the whole 'sudden-avoidance' bit anyhow?"

He ignored the latter part of her reply and went straight on the offensive. "What do you mean I'd know if I wrote back? I read every one of those damn letters," he caught himself as he almost pointed to the closet where they were still stashed, "and not one mentioned a child. Don't you think that's a mighty big secret to keep from his own _father_?"

Kagome winced at the rising decibel level but didn't back down. "That's not the kind of thing you can tell someone in such an impersonal manner; it's supposed to be in person. Besides, why would I write such news to someone who'd taken extremes to avoid me and for all I knew burned the letters instead of reading them? Answer me that!"

The two squared off, glaring at each other, each in their own stewed feelings of righteous indignation. Knowing she was being silly in drawing something like this out – let alone pulling out such a whopper of a story in the first place, Kagome sighed and finally caved. "Alright, alright, you're not a father."

"Then who is?" he snapped.

Head jerking up she only managed to prevent herself from laughing when she caught the deadly look on his face. Sighing again she knew her doom was upon her. "No one. I made the baby up."

Inuyasha just started for a moment, aghast. "Why on earth would you do that, wench?" he near bellowed. "My heart's somewhere near my stomach right about now. What kind of fucking ridiculous practical joke is that?"

"It's not like I meant to do it or had it planned, I was just so…so _mad_ when you were surprised to see me here. Honestly, does my word mean nothing to you? Does the fact that I tried to keep contact with you all along count for nothing? _Anything_ could have happened in the last year, Inuyasha, and you'd have no idea."

"What the hell do you mean? I told you I read all those letters of yours–"

"-And I," she cut him off, "already told you that I had no idea you were actually reading the things!"

"So that justifies making up a baby and giving me a heart attack?" he wanted to know. "How childish is that?"

"Oh, that's rich," she cajoled. "This coming from the guy who's soooo mature he avoids someone for ten months."

"Well, if I'm so _immature_ then," he mocked her voice and mimicked her movements at the word, "then why bother coming back to me? You could've just stayed away."

Kagome clenched her teeth and screamed in frustration. "You don't get a single thing I've said, have you, you baka!"

"Hey!" he barked at her. "Who you calling 'baka' you stupid wench!"

"Baka!"

"Wench!"

"Baka!"

"Wench!"

Without warning he lunged at her, taking her to the floor with him. In a flurry of movement, of grasping fingers and nipping teeth they were writhing and panting on the cold cement floor. Inuyasha couldn't stand even a second of further separation so he shredded their clothes in quick, precise movements. He couldn't repress a chuckle, however, at finding that by the time he got to his own clothes Kagome had already half-stripped him without him even noticing.

They were at each other as if they were starving, kissing, licking, and stroking whatever they could without breaking full body contact. Inuyasha didn't have it in him to withstand much of such splendid torture though. Their coming together lasted only mere seconds; he was burning too hot, too fast to wait for her. With a resounding cry he burst, his peripheral vision gone from the intensity of the sensation.

It hadn't been his finest moment ever, especially in a business-client perspective, but it had felt damn good, so he couldn't bring himself to care at the moment. He collapsed on top of her, pleased to hear her breath coming short and hissing in his ear, gradually slowing.

Kagome didn't seem to mind in the least though that she'd been left behind. She just held him closely to her, hands running across his back and through his hair, relishing having him with her, against her again.

He rolled to his back and pulled her with him, not wanting her exposed to the cold floor any longer despite the voice in the back of his head still telling him that he was getting too close, too comfortable with her. Unable to keep the silly, satisfied grin from his face he was glad Kagome couldn't see it with her head buried in his chest as it was.

He reveled in the feel of her, luxuriating in her warmth, the weight of her against him, the feel of her skin where his fingers brushed across it. It had been too long since he'd held her like this. Kami, but he'd missed her.

Suddenly he froze, realizing just what he was doing. He was getting drugged by her effect on him, forgetting who he was and what he had to do. All his sacrifice for those long, dragging months would be for naught if he gave in now. If he didn't keep distancing himself she might continue deluding herself about this made up infatuation – and she deserved better than that.

Stiffly he pulled away from her slightly and in the most condescending voice he could muster said, "Alright, you got what you paid for, now get out of here so I can sleep." Internally he couldn't help but wince since in every way that was a lie, most especially since she was paying to get hers, which he hadn't exactly delivered on.

To his consternation she didn't yell, she didn't slap him, she didn't even go rigid with shock. In fact, she didn't react at all except to throw him an odd, skeptical sideways glance.

"You know, I'd have found that much more believable _before_ you threw me to the ground and had your way with me." She snuggled deeper into his chest. "…Rather passionately, I might add."

Inuyasha spluttered but couldn't come up with a suitable reply.

"Besides, do you really think I'd come all the way here for a measly hour? No siree – full nights all the way. So I'm yours all my nights and as many of my days as you want for the next two weeks."

The words _'I'm yours'_ echoed repeatedly in his head and the impish grin she threw at him made him realize he'd probably been a bit too slow in replying. "Days?" he inquired.

"Well, I wouldn't object to any overtime activity if you're game." She wouldn't tell him she hadn't bothered renting a place and hoped she wouldn't have to leave his side during her short stay. Besides, if he had a problem with it there were plenty of no-notice hotels around. "After all, it's not like I'll get to come out here all that often…" She trailed off leadingly.

At the mixed look of confusion and frustration that flitted across his face she laid her head back down and closed her eyes. They still had a long way to go.

She wrapped her arms back around him and squeezed him tightly a moment, taking the time to choose her words carefully. "Look Inuyasha, I do…care about you."

Despite softening her words she still felt him jerk in reaction to her declaration. "Don't worry, I know I pushed you too far too quickly before. I can't change the way I feel, honestly I wouldn't want to, but I'll be patient. I'm willing to wait until you're ready to accept it."

She was quiet, giving him the time to mull that over, and found herself being lulled into slumber by the warmth of him, the comfort of having him near.

"Kagome," he said slowly, "did you mean what you said?"

"Every word," she replied quickly, not even needing to think.

Noticing that she was half-gone already he went ahead with a question he probably couldn't have gotten away with otherwise. "Even the part where you said you are – or at least your time is – mine?"

She yawned deeply against his chest and he had to suppress the urge to twitch at the movement of her mouth against him. "Of course," she mumbled. With that she fell asleep against him, leaving Inuyasha to study the conundrum that was Kagome.

His mind was immediately spinning. Entirely too much had just happened within the course of a few hours and now he didn't know how to react or even what to do with himself. Earlier that day he'd been contemplating how he was going to try to move on and forget Kagome forever, thinking that ignoring the anniversary of their meeting would cement her in the past permanently. Now not only did she show up when he didn't expect her to, with no warning, but she'd made so many bold declarations he couldn't even begin to comprehend it all.

And on top of all that she'd said she was _his_ – not that he was hers to do with as she pleased since she was the one paying – but she belonged to _him._ He may not understand anything else that had happened that night but he understood that much and he wasn't about to be fool enough to not take advantage of such a situation.

So as Kagome slept blissfully unaware on his chest he cracked a smirk full of mischief. After all, he had to make up for his goof that night somehow, right? Glad Kagome had already fallen asleep, knowing she'd be suspicious of the new feral light in his eyes, he began planning.

* * *

Kagome woke slowly, coming into blissful awareness as she felt Inuyasha's body heat next to her, knowing it was his hands slowly stroking the skin of her stomach. She was glad he'd carried her to the bed after she'd fallen asleep – she did not fancy the idea of waking with a crick in her back from the cold cement. Yawning, more from contentment than any residual tiredness, she stretched her arms overhead only to hear clanging.

Her eyes shot open, acutely aware that she recognized that sound but hoping she was wrong. She shook her arms again and there it was, tried to yank them down and they wouldn't budge.

Inuyasha had put her in his manacles.

His mouth was already on her flesh, making it even harder to comprehend the situation. "Inuyasha? What are you doing? Why am I locked up?"

Her breath hitched as he covered her body with his, his delicious warmth soaking into her. "Inuyasha?" Was he really that set on ignoring her? "Inuyasha!" Apparently he was. "Wait…I need you to wait…stop…"

He quirked an eyebrow at her and she could all but hear him questioning how sure she was about his stopping. Problem was, she wasn't sure at all, but there were other things they needed to deal with before losing themselves again.

"Look, we need to talk, okay?" His facial expression didn't change at all and that damned eyebrow of his was making her frustrated.

"C'mon, it's been ten months. Don't you think there are some things we probably need to get straight?" Still no reaction from him but his hands started moving across her legs again.

"Please?" she said, putting on the most exaggerated, over-the-top pout she could manage.

With a sense of gleeful triumph she knew she'd broken him when a little snigger escaped his mouth. Upon seeing she noticed it though he immediately clammed up, put on a face of mock frustration, sat up, and all but growled at her. "Fine, get on with it. There are other things I want to get to here."

Inwardly she groused._ It's not like I don't want to be doing that myself._ _It's just some things take precedence – especially when a certain stingy hanyou refuses to communicate with me for almost a year!_

"Okay, fine." She glared at him for emphasis. "First I want to talk about…" _…your reasoning for walking out on me? No…probably not the safest topic to start out on._ "Well, how about…" she started again but trailed off at the distracting noise the manacles made; she couldn't help it, she'd just always talked with her hands. "Fine. What I really need to tell you is that I'm not giving up and that – " She cut off with a muffled scream at the annoying racket from the cuffs and she pulled violently against them.

"Gah, Inuyasha, can we lose these for now? There's no way I can talk like this." _Like it's not distracting enough that you're staring at me like you want to eat me._

"No can do," he replied snidely. "You aren't getting out of those cuffs until I've had my way with you." …_And made up for being a bastard and leaving you behind last time,_ he added mentally, unwilling to fess up to that particular bit of guilt.

"But - " she started to argue but Inuyasha cut her off before she could get any further.

"Hey, you said that _your_ time was _mine_, right?" He snorted. "So you going back on that now, are ya?"

She groaned in exasperation. "Of course not, but it's not like I want to do something that's only for my benefit. It's not like talking would be bad for your health or anything."

"I dunno, if my balls turn any bluer it might be."

To keep from laughing, and from looking to see just how accurate the statement was, she glared at him.

"Look," he said, leaning down into her face. "Like I said, you ain't getting out of those 'til we're through and both passed out from satisfaction." He noticed her pupils dilate slightly and had to fight back a smirk. "So your choices are either to talk now as we are or leave it until tomorrow…at the earliest."

He shot a cocky grin at her reaction to his words – her flushed complexion and slightly faster breathing – though he supposed that could have something to do with the way his fingers were stroking her stomach as well. After all, he never claimed to play fair.

"So what'll it be, Kagome?" He breathed her name across her throat, skimming his lips against the skin without actually touching her. "Yapping the night away or me licking my way all across your body?"

He heard the clink of metal and knew she was trying to wrap her arms around him to pull him down to her.

"Now, now, be patient," he chided her, absolutely reveling in the feeling of power he got from being with her again, not to mention in such a situation. "We've got a lot of time to make up for so there's no sense in our rushing."

At her low groan of frustration he couldn't help but chuckle. "I take it that means I won?" he gloated.

"No," she panted out. "We'll still talk, make no mistake about that." She arched beneath him, trying to create more contact between his hand and her quickly overheating skin. "I just decided that with you being a jerk and all and leaving me hanging for so many months by myself I'd let you start to make it up to me first."

Inuyasha slowly pulled himself up, fisting his hands on his knees and severing all contact with her. "Really?" he drawled, and Kagome didn't like the mischief in his voice. "I'm a _jerk_, am I?"

"Yes you are!" she snapped. "And you know it too, what with the way you're dragging on and everything." _Seriously, first the guy doesn't want to talk and got me all hot and now he won't shut his trap and focus! _Apparently she just couldn't understand males at all, full or partial human.

"Well if I'm so obnoxious why do you keep on comin' back to me?" he countered.

She wanted to open her eyes and glower at him but just couldn't take the smug expression she was sure he was wearing at that moment. "That's because you're _my_ jerk, you…you _jerk!_"

Inuyasha couldn't help himself, he full on laughed and Kagome stared in wonder. She didn't think she'd ever seen him like this before. If that was the case she didn't even mind that she – or at least her momentary discomfort – was the source of his amusement.

The sound abruptly cut off and she was pulled from her musings at the same time that her head fell back against the bed, Inuyasha having yanked the pillow right out from under her. He also took the pillow next to her, stacked them both together, then raised her up and slid them under her hips.

Confused and more than a trifle embarrassed she looked at Inuyasha to explain but in the blink of an eye his face was only inches from her own, the smell of him driving her crazy. He opened his mouth a couple times, as if to say something, but then settled slightly to the side and pressed his lips against her collarbone. That calmed her immediately, bringing her awareness back to different matters, and she breathed out, "Inuyasha?"

It had been too long since he'd tasted her, felt the texture of her skin, breathed her in, and honestly he'd given up hope she was coming back for seconds. He rearranged himself, kneeling above her with knees on either side of hers, but not touching for the time being, and laid his forehead against her chest, just allowing himself the realization that she was truly, actually there with him.

Yes, he'd blown it the first time but that wasn't anything he couldn't make up for now and he intended to do his absolute best until she was hoarse from all the screaming she'd be doing. Of course, to do so would mean more self-control than he personally wanted to inflict on himself at the moment, but he both knew he definitely was capable and that it would be worth it in the end. Besides, didn't she say…two full weeks?

He grinned at the thought and quickly set to work.

The short little eternity that followed was an exercise in relearning her body, in teasing and tormenting every frayed nerve she had. He would bring one finger to brush against her navel, twirling it around and then pulling it off before his warmth really got the chance to seep into her. He mapped her, trying to find places that were the most sensitive in the shortest period of time, and exploiting it to the fullest.

She was panting hard by then, her eyes sightlessly staring at the ceiling, and when he knew she was only seconds away he pressed the pad of one finger against the source of sensation, the core of her world that he'd avoided all along, and she shattered before him. He wanted to smirk, to gloat in the power he had over the woman writhing under him but honestly he couldn't do anything other than marvel at her. He was in complete control of the situation yet she exuded more power and strength than any being he could imagine. He was in awe of her, of who she was and the fact that – for whatever reason – she chose to be with him, and _damn_ but the things she could make him do. In that moment he felt enthralled and completely under her spell and he knew that later it would claw at him but he couldn't bring himself to care right then, staring down at her glowing, sweat-drenched skin.

He leaned down next to her ear and all but purred, "Was that good for ya, darlin'?" She was still panting so all she could do was nod her head, to which he bit her ear contentedly. "Well that ain't nothing yet. You aren't getting out of those chains until I've made you shudder at least 7 different ways."

She smiled at him, telling him she got the joke, but he just shook his head and smiled back. "I should probably warn ya that I'm being serious, even if it takes until tomorrow night."

She came out of her stupor just a little bit. "You can't be – that'd kill me."

He puffed up at the little round-a-bout compliment she'd just given his skills. "Well then you'll be just about the happiest spirit in the afterlife, won't ya?"

Seeing he was serious she opened her mouth to contradict him but he just slowly circled a clawed finger around her lips to quiet her. "Now, now, we agreed no more talking 'til later, right?" She glared but he just gave her a lopsided grin showing he wasn't the least bit fazed and started in that same unending torture he'd used on her last time.

Kagome grew nearly frantic with frustration in no time. He endlessly teased and tortured her and no amount of pleading on her part could get him to touch her in anything more than a fleeting way and he adamantly refused to bring his body to hers.

She lost track of how long it had been, only knowing that what felt like hours upon hours had passed. In the back of her mind she was conscious of the amount of will and control it took him to be able to pull off something like this and she would have been in awe, if only she wasn't so ticked at him.

Annoyance building she was getting to the point where she was ready to scream at him to leave her alone, to keep going, to go away, to touch her properly, _anything_ but what he continued to do. _Stupid jerk refuses to touch me anywhere for more than 3 seconds…_ His head came up and Kagome just willed her thoughts to him. _Yeah, I'm thinking about you, Mr. I'm-so-rad-I-don't-have-to-really-touch-a-girl jerk man._ But really, who else could she be thinking about at a time like that?

_Oh, don't you look at me like that because you forget that I'll have my turn with you in chains and then we'll see who's laughing…and…stop smirking!_ she finished, mentally shouting the last at him. She didn't bother to glare as it had proven throughout the night to only amuse him further. Instead she decided to start a mantra in her head. _Jerk, jerk, jerk, JERK, jerk…_ When he looked up she added music to the little ditty. _Jerk, jerk jerk jerk, jeeeeerrrrk, je-je-jerk…_

By the time he finally let her sleep she was ready to call him a good many other names as well, ranging everywhere from the derogatory to the highest praise she could think of.

Of course, he had pushed her so far in her combination of exhaustion and exhilaration that she had actually passed out before he could accomplish his goal. But then again, it was Inuyasha, so he'd promptly woken her back up and picked up where he left off.

When he'd finally pulled his body up alongside hers Kagome thought she could weep for the wonder of the sensation. She desperately longed she'd had use of her arms so she could touch him, reassure herself he was real and she hadn't dreamed up their reunion just because she missed him so badly.

Inuyasha, on the other hand, was increasingly grateful he'd had the foresight to lock up her hands. He groused on well about how he didn't really care about her but he knew that if she touched him he'd be lost and he wanted to make this night indelibly burned into her memory.

Even without her consciously straining his control just being near her again was enough to snap him close to the edge. When they finally slipped into bliss together he experienced the most dramatic sense of elation, relief, and freedom he could ever remember feeling.

She was _his_, she was here with _him,_ and he was sure he'd just given her something that could never be repeated by anyone else in her whole life.

After some long moments of catching his breath he just managed to struggle up to sit against the wall, already missing her warmth. Still, he knew how uncomfortable it was to be kept overlong in those manacles and for her weak human arms it had probably already been too much time, especially with as much as she'd been straining against it. She'd feel it for sure when she woke up.

Reaching up he released the latch on her right hand and watched as her arm fell limply to the pillow, not a movement from her. Rolling his eyes he pulled himself up to sit at the head of the bed and leaned across her to release her other hand, catching it in his before it could fall. Gently he tugged on her arm, pulling her on her side until she faced him. He wriggled his way back down until he was lying in the bed next to her, curling her body up into his.

He shook his head. The way he was going he'd be lucky if Kagome didn't clobber him as soon as she had her strength back, which – by the looks of her – might take a while. But then he remembered the silly, dazed look in her eyes, and he knew that this was a night she would never forget, ever, and when he finally had to let her go that one little piece of him would always be there.

The covers were a roiling mess beneath them and Inuyasha couldn't care less for himself, but he cursed himself for being so soft when he realized he didn't want Kagome sleeping uncovered. _Stupid, weak ningen bodies…_He didn't care if he was being lazy; he was comfortable and he didn't want to get up. Still, that's exactly what he kept the blanket at the foot of his bed for. So, grumbling, he moved away from Kagome's warm, inviting body, carefully detaching himself as she clung to him and mumbled her grievances. Seeing her he suddenly remembered the pillows and pulled them from where they'd been shoved behind her, tossing them to the head of the bed. Without leaving the mattress he then leaned down and snatched up the blanket, laying it around her and tucking it behind her back and shoulders before grabbing her to him once again.

Then, finally satisfied, he drifted off into an exhausted slumber.

* * *

Kagome woke up abruptly, crossing her legs with her sudden need to go to the bathroom. She grimaced but she knew she had to wake Inuyasha up as she had no idea where a single toilet in the building was.

"Oh shoot," she hissed as she pushed herself to a sitting position, wincing at the soreness and stiffness of her arms. She'd surely be feeling that for a couple days. "Inuyasha?" she said softly, nudging his arm with her hand. She hated to disturb him when he looked so peaceful, especially for this of all things. Putting a hand to her face she felt for heat, wondering if she was blushing.

Making a lazy groan he turned away from her slightly, swatting at her hand. Aggravated, she began to shake him. "Inuyasha!" she called again, louder.

Finally he cracked an eye to look at her, then rubbed his face and looked again to make sure she was really there and waking him up. For cripes sake, they couldn't have been asleep more than an hour or two! "What is it, you wanna go again?" he asked semi-incredulously even as his words slurred.

She slapped his shoulder. "Of course not. I'm so sore I can barely move." She had to restrain herself from hitting him again at the look of smug satisfaction that came over his features at that little revelation, so instead she decided to take the wind out of his sails just a bit. "And for future reference you're never getting to chain me up for that long again. I'm lucky my arms didn't get pulled from their sockets."

"Well if you'd relaxed instead of straining against them they wouldn't have pulled now, would they?" he mocked.

She snorted. "Oh yeah, because what you were doing to me was the most relaxing thing in the world. Hey, maybe next time I should restrain myself and not react at all. Think you'd like that?"

His face scrunched and he started to reply but she held up a hand to forestall him, her other pinching the bridge of her nose as she sighed. "Not right now, okay? I woke you up because I've gotta go – so where do I go?"

He wondered why she wouldn't look at him straight but was a bit intrigued by the light dusting of red across her nose and cheeks. Now if he could only figure out what she was talking about, which wasn't helped at all by the fact that his brain was still sleep-fogged. His brow creased in confusion. "Uh, Kagome, where you need to go? If you're headed somewhere shouldn't you know ahead of time?"

"No, that's not what I meant. I mean – I gotta go!" She was looking at him so imploringly that he sat up and tried to shake himself awake, finally noticing from his new seat how her legs were clenched together and she was shaking slightly. So _that's _what she meant. He shook his head; this was why he'd never understand women. The two of them had been as intimate as they could get, had been all over each other's bodies, and she was embarrassed about something as natural as going to the bathroom.

"Okay, okay, gotcha," he groused as she hit him again for taking too long to respond. "You got your choice – either the chamber pot," he pointed to a little bronze pot against the wall, "or the drain." He pointed again to a hole in the corner of the room covered by a grill and she paled. "Personally I suggest the drain as that's just where the pot gets dumped anyhow, but your call."

"You…but…" she stuttered, "…isn't there a bathroom around here or anything? What do all the clients use?"

He shrugged. "Bathrooms are in each of the rooms so if someone needs to go he or she just does their business then. No one really hangs around that much. Besides, have you seen how primped up the female tetsudai get? I'd hate to be around any bathroom that they had to share, although it might be kinda funny to watch them fight it out about who spent too long in there." He snickered, then waved his hand, as if to dismiss everything he'd just said. "I'm sure Ryu has a proper one that he'd let you use but considering how relatively far away his apartments are, what with how tightly you're holding your legs together, I'd say you're out of luck."

He chuckled again when she tried to shift her legs out of his sight. "C'mon, haven't you at least ever been camping or _anything_? Sure, it ain't the most glamorous thing in the world but it ain't gonna kill you either. So just go before your bladder ruptures or something."

She glared at him but got off the bed and headed toward the other side of the room, glad he kept his room warm considering her unclothed state. She paused a moment, glancing back and forth between the 8-inch hold in the corner and the pot sitting next to it. Desperately wishing to save any modicum of dignity she had left, plus knowing her propensity for being clumsy at the most inopportune times, she opted for the hole and turned around, grimacing. Then she saw Inuyasha staring at her, a bemused expression on his face.

"What in the world do you think you're doing!" she exploded. Quickly she walked the two steps to her bundle of clothes, picked up one of her shoes, and lobbed it at him. He looked affronted when it bounced off his arm.

"What you think? You're wandering around my room naked and you expect me to not be looking? You do realize I'm male, right?"

"Well, yeah," she spluttered, "but not _now_. You are _not_ watching me pee and I doubt that even _you_ could find anything sexy about that."

He opened his mouth and she cringed at what he might say. "No! I don't care what you're going to say, just turn around already so I can go!"

Seeing her legs trembling even while she was standing Inuyasha gave up the argument with a huff and did as she asked. "Fine, I'm not looking. Happy?"

The hole was too close to the wall to face the corner so she turned her back to it; plus that way she could watch him and make sure he didn't peek just to annoy her. "Okay, now cover your ears and hum."

"What?" He couldn't believe how big of a deal she was making out of this. Maybe if he shocked her or embarrassed her she'd just get over it already and do it so she could come hit him. "Look Kagome, I have tasted and been covered in some of your body fluids, so I don't think that _hearing_ one more is going to be the end of the world."

At her gasp he smirked. "Why you…you…you…"

"Yes, yes," he said wearily. "We already covered this, I'm a jerk. So why are you letting a _jerk_ keep you from doing something that'll relieve all that pain and pressure building up inside you –" He cut off because he could finally hear her going behind him. That girl just never stopped astonishing him. Besides, it wasn't like he got some perverse sort of pleasure out of watching or hearing a girl piss, he just wanted her to stop being so stupid about it and being so self-conscious around _him_.

Kagome sighed in bliss even as she kept a wary eye on him. Making sure to always keep him in the corner of her vision she glanced around her, hoping against hope there'd be some form of toilet paper stashed somewhere. There was a tiny little cabinet on the other side of the chamber pot – she made a mental note to ask Inuyasha about that; she hadn't even known chamber pots still existed or that anyone, let alone _he,_ would use that term to describe it – and she was delighted to see a roll in there, even if it was that thin, scratchy, paper stuff.

Done with her business she used the hand-sanitizer out of her bag to clean herself up a bit from the night before then went back to the corner to put everything back in order. Putting the toilet paper back in the cabinet she was puzzled at the only three other items in there. "Inuyasha, why do you have a rag, a paintbrush, and is that…whitewash?"

He didn't bother to turn around as he answered. "To cover all the red on the walls."

She looked around her. "What red is that?"

He sighed, annoyed that he had to spell it out to her. Being around him this long he'd have thought she'd catch on a bit more. "That's where I clean up after my clients leave. Washing the blood off stuff tends to slosh around and it gets all over the walls. None of my clients would appreciate coming into a room already covered in bloody splatters." _No, the sickos like admiring the patterns of their _own _handiwork._

Kagome took a moment to absorb what he was telling her. She didn't know how she could be so stupid; when they were together it was just so easy to forget what his reality was really like, or maybe she just _wanted_ to forget as it was easier that way.

Earlier her mind had been focused solely on her bladder but now that her mind was clear she could hear again what he said about how every other tetsudai had a private bathroom while he…had a hole in the floor. Did he have to bathe himself there as well? Did he ever get access to a shower, or maybe only on occasion when Ryu could sneak him to his place?

She couldn't stand it; she was such an idiot. Nothing she could say would make it better, she'd probably only aggravate him and scrape at his pride. Instead she did the only thing she could: she crawled onto the bed behind him and wrapped herself around him as tightly as she could, her legs outside of his, her arms around his chest molding her to his back, and her cheek lying against his scapula. She didn't make a sound, just held him, and was relieved when one of his hands came up to cover hers.

After a good long while Kagome finally screwed up her courage. "Look, Inuyasha, I…I hate this place. I mean, I know it's been relatively good to you for what hanyou normally get, but no one deserves to be treated like this, ostracized like this…especially not you."

Pausing, she waited to see whether in her blunt words his pride was angered or he chose to ignore her altogether. Since he seemed to be going the ignoring route, despite the tension she felt in the muscles coiled against her, she decided to take advantage of his silence and plunge ahead. "You know I want you with me. If you ever decide you want out of here, are willing to risk everything else the world can throw at you, you're welcome at my home with my family and I. My family would love to have you there just as much as I would – well, maybe not _quite _as much since there are some rather obvious benefits to our relationship that I should hope don't extend out to them." Letting the smile into her voice she squeezed him for emphasis.

"You know how much Souta adored you, how he loved having another guy in the house to be all 'manly' with. And mama doted on you and enjoyed having someone else to take care of." She chuckled lightly, the vibration of it pulsing through Inuyasha's body. "Then there's jii-chan. Don't worry about him, he's just crazy and picks on all of us. He actually just makes me laugh now more than anything else." She'd say all of this as many times as he'd listen, as many times as he needed to hear it to believe it.

He still hadn't responded and Kagome knew she wasn't lucky enough for that to be because he was overcome with joy and was just waiting for her to stop so he could say yes. She dropped her forehead against the middle of his back. "I know this might not be the ideal solution for you, but would being with me really be all that bad? Especially in comparison with this place?"

He tensed even more and she sighed, feeling defeated. "Fine, just know that even if you say 'no' now the offer stands open for as long as I'm alive."

She was torn as to what to do now. Part of her wanted to hold him even more tightly to her, as if by osmosis she could will her thoughts and feelings to him, but the bigger part wanted to just run away and hide from him in her stupidity and embarrassment and many other despicable things she could call herself at the moment. Couldn't she have at least said it in a better way, one that wouldn't so totally crush his pride and rub his face in his predicament?

Inside she figuratively pulled herself up by her bootstraps – which she'd always found an odd phrase, especially considering she was naked at the moment. Breathing deeply she forced herself calm and controlled her urge to flee. Sure, she lacked tact, it wasn't exactly something she'd ever before claimed to have, but she'd said something that she'd needed to say at one point or another during this visit. Perhaps it was best she said it now; if she was a paying customer he couldn't very well walk out on her this time…could he?

Inuyasha had so many thoughts roiling through his head he had no idea which to follow first. _Kami but this girl is stubborn!_ He'd have thought she'd take the hint the first time he left. After all, he'd told her the reality of the situation square in her face! She was still living in la-la land even now and he hated the feeling that he was having a carrot dangled in front of his face. Even if he already knew for sure it'd only be snatched away later it was still damn tempting. Couldn't she see that?

He groaned inwardly. This was going to be long and messy, he could feel it. He'd almost prefer a session with one of his other clients to this drudgery of talking and feelings and shit he didn't want to get into. He thought longingly about the door but knew it was pointless. This was inevitable and there was nothing he could do to escape it, so he may as well just face it now, be blunt, and take it like a full-blood, since heaven knew that was the only way he'd escape this night with any dignity intact.

He shifted and Kagome loosened her death grip on him slightly but he still didn't turn to face her. This was going to be difficult enough without seeing her expression. "You done yet?" he asked, more gruffly than he'd intended.

He felt her head move up and down against his back. "Look," he said, forcing himself to calm down and not make any more a fool of himself than he had to, "do you really think I'm that selfish?"

Kagome pulled away from him. "What do you mean?"

"I mean forcin' myself on your family and such. No matter what you say and how you sugar coat it no one _really_ wants to take on a hanyou. I ain't leaving this place just so I can become a burden to you all when at least here I'm _earning_ my keep."

"But…Inuyasha – " she tried to argue.

"C'mon," he cut her off. "You really gonna sit there and tell me you think their lives, _your_ life wouldn't be made harder just by having me around?"

She blushed, knowing what he said was true, but she refused to back down. Instead she pulled on his forelock until he turned his head around to face her.

"Yes, some things would be harder," she conceded.

"Aha!" he yelled, as if gratified at confirming that harsh fact.

"But…" She pulled on his face again when he looked away from her, finally maneuvering herself around the bed until she was facing him when he refused to budge. "_But_," she emphasized again, "so what? First off, no I don't think you're selfish, so could you really think I'm that stupid? Of course I know there would be some hard times having you with us, but do you think it's any easier knowing you're here suffering when I want to help you, want to _be_ with you, and the only thing stopping us is your damn stubbornness?"

He glared at her last comment but she ignored him. "I don't care that there would be hardships because tell me one person's life that doesn't have them? Tell me about one thing worth doing that doesn't have challenges, one relationship in the world that doesn't have its hard times. I wouldn't care about the crummy times because you'd be with me and that'd be worth it all, would cancel everything else out. Don't you get it yet? My family adores you and I love you so it's worth anything to get you out of here and with us where you belong."

Inuyasha crossed his arms and looked away, feigning irritation and indignation, but she saw the light pink across his cheekbones as the give away it was. "Didn't we already have this conversation?"

"No," she said, sick of running around the topic. "You walked out. Conversation implies two people…well, unless you're talking to yourself, but then you'd be crazy." She shook her head, getting back on track.

"No, we did talk, and I told you it was impossible, or did you just oh so conveniently decide to forget that part?"

She looked at him, hurt, and he immediately regretted his choice of words. "Of course I didn't forget. You think I haven't wondered if the reason you didn't contact me at all was because you hated me? Because I'd somehow offended you? Do you have any idea how scared I was that you would only see me when I came because I was paying this damn Shrine?"

"Kagome," he said softly, touching her face with the backs of his fingers, hoping to quell any urge she had to cry and knowing he'd be at a complete loss if she did. "You know that wasn't it." Shit, why did he always have to stick his foot in it like this. She was a good girl; she didn't deserve to be in a place like this, upset by an ass like him.

She gripped his hand tightly and looked directly at him, her eyes pleading. "Then what? Why?"

He sighed. And here it was, the crux of the matter. There was no way in hell she was going to take this well. "Because you're not really in love with me. I know you say you are but believe me, no one falls in love with hanyou, I have plenty of experience to know."

Indignation crept into her face this time and she huffed at him, "What, so now I'm an idiot who doesn't know her own mind? Is that it? You think you know me better than I know myself?"

"Shit, no, that's not it." Agitated, he ran his free hand through his hair. "Okay, so you like me right now, maybe even think you love me, but that's just it. You only _think_ you do. Trust me when I say that not only is it plain just impossible, but you still have a lot to experience. I'm the first guy you slept, not to mention the first one you had any kind of feelings for – you think that kind of stuff is all that unique or that it lasts forever? Maybe you think so but you're not in the business I am. You really think you could tell me you'll still be around in 10 years? 20? Could you tell me you know you'll still think you're in love with a hanyou scum then?"

Kagome sucked in a deep breath, collected herself, then let him have it. "First of all, don't ever let me hear you call yourself that – or any other derogatory term – ever again! You got that? I don't _care_ that you're half youkai, half human. What does that have to do with anything? It's not your genetics that I like – although they are quite nice I must say," she said, glancing up and down his body to let him know she appreciated how nicely he was put together, "it's what's inside, you dummy. And if I _ever_ hear you put yourself down again I will…well…I'll think of something really nasty – and before you have the chance let me just say that you better not even _think _it. You know I'd never treat you like one of your doms. I'd just…tie you down and tickle you or something like that.

"And as far as my level of 'experience' – did you, or did you not, hold me as I cried here last year about feeling dirty from all the other guys I 'experienced.' Aside from that, believe it or not but you don't have to actually sleep with someone to know you're in love. What about unrequited love? Or people who fall in love at first sight? Or a couple that waits to have sex until they get married? There's no way you can really think all of these people are deluded."

Then, in the middle of her tirade, that's when it hit her. She wasn't sure it was about whether or not she wanted him with her, but whether that would be _forever_. Hadn't that been the point of his talking about the future in such a way? He wanted a guarantee that she wouldn't drop him for someone else, and though it aggravated her and even hurt a bit, there was no way she could really blame him.

"Inuyasha, I'm still only human. I can't give you a clad-iron guarantee. I believe in my heart that I'll love you more every day until I die but I have no proof for that aside from feelings and words. I'm not perfect either; I'm sure there'd be times when I'd annoy you or make you so angry with me you'd want to throttle me. With as much as we fight I suppose that's a given.

"Still, I can tell you this: if I was given the ability to go back in time and choose whether or not to meet you, to connect with you like this again, I'd do it in a heartbeat. If I was given complete control over my heart and could choose anyone in the world to fall in love with I'd still pick you, hanyou, stubbornness, hardships and all."

He scoffed at her and she started to get desperate. "Gah, what can I do to convince you? I can promise that no matter what you'll always be welcome in my home, and that's even irregardless of what you choose to allow to happen between us."

"What _I_ choose," he asked incredulously.

"Yes, _you_," she nearly shouted. "Who else is refusing to believe a single word I say? Who else is stubbornly refusing to leave a god-awful situation because he's scared of what might happen to him in the unknown."

He winced, almost imperceptibly, and Kagome could have hit herself. Of all things, why did she have to call him _afraid_?

"Scared?" he bellowed. "Hell if I am. I go through more shit every night than some Chinese torture victims and you wanna call _me_ a fucking pansy? I just don't want to rest my life and entire future on the whims of some little girl who could be flighty as a bird for all I know! That's called survival skills, bitch!"

Kagome had to clamp down on her instincts to dig into him for calling her that. She knew he had a point but seriously, did he have to be so defensive all the time? She remained quiet as he continued to rail at her.

"I've done better than any other hanyou out there and I am earning my own way. I survived just fine on my own before you and I'll keep doing just fine by myself so just keep your fucking pity to yourself."

She sighed deeply. This really wasn't going well at all. "But that's all you're doing here, Inuyasha, just _surviving._ I want to give you the chance to truly _live_, even if it's not as free as either of us would wish for you. Won't you even give me a chance? What do I need to do to prove myself to you, to get you to trust me and believe in me? Tell me and whatever it is I'll do it."

He looked away again but his posture softened and his muscles relaxed. "I dunno. There's nothing I can think of."

Sighing, she collapsed against him and buried her face in his chest, his arms coming up to absently rub her back. "I'll give you all the time you need, you know. I can be patient and…" …_and that's it!_

She shot up suddenly and he looked at her askew, wondering what could have her so suddenly giddy she was almost bouncing. "I've got it! I know what to do to prove it!"

Seeing she wasn't going to give anymore until he participated, he bit. "Okay, shoot."

"Time!" she exclaimed, as if that word summed it all up.

He quirked an eyebrow at her. "What?"

"It's simple! All I've got to do is keep coming back and then you'll have to believe me, right?" He looked at her skeptically but she could see his interest was peaked. "So let's make a deal. If I keep coming for, say, a year and claim the same things that I do now then you'll have to admit me that I'm telling the truth and believe me. Hah!" she finished with a smug look.

"A year?" he mocked, laughing derisively. "That's nothing. It's only been a year since I met ya! You really think you'll experience that much more about life in that measly amount of time? Yeah right. Make it ten and you got yourself a deal."

"Ten years!" she exclaimed. "You've gotta be kidding me. I'll be almost thirty years old by then!"

Inuyasha just shrugged at her. "So what? You said yourself that you'll wait as long as you need to. Was that just a line?" he asked suspiciously.

"Of course not! It's just…ten years, Inuyasha! That's just too long. You've got to remember that I'm human. I don't know how long hanyou live but I'd bet you it's a goodly deal longer than I'll be around. I want to be with you for as long as I can. Plus middle age for us is 40 – can you imagine how wrinkly and old looking I'll be getting already? Say…" she suddenly looked at him speculatively, "just how fast do you age? Are you still going to look like this when I'm 60? I'd kinda feel like I was robbing the cradle…"

He crossed his arms and glared at her – _man, is he the master of silent communication or what!_ – and she held up her hands placatingly. "Okay, okay, I get it. You don't know any more than I do. So how about three years?"

"Seven," he shot back instantly.

She crossed her arms, mimicking his mood and posture, even his tone of voice. "Three and a half."

"Seven."

Throwing up her hands she cried, "Fine, I give! Five, and that's my last offer."

He stared at her, contemplating, and she had to fight not to squirm under his gaze. Inuyasha was struggling within himself. He was sorely tempted to give in; if he had to be honest with himself he'd admit that he wanted this damn badly. Yet he knew there was not a chance in hell she'd actually last through the five years and felt he'd only be setting himself up for disappointment. After all, why bother going along with this agreement if there was no modicum of hope?

He knew it was doomed to failure and that he'd just be hurting himself in the long run with it, but looking at her face and the nervousness she was trying to hard not to show he knew that he couldn't crush her like this. Damn him, but he couldn't bring himself to hurt her at any cost. Looked like the only thing he could do to save himself was try to keep his heart as hard as possible.

"Okay," he said, and when she smiled he swore the room got brighter. Then without warning she threw herself at him and flung her arms around his neck, laying him flat out on the bed.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she repeated over and over into his throat. Her obviously emotional reaction to such a concession from him had him at a loss, so not knowing what to say he just followed up with his usual: "Keh!"

She pulled back and gave him a watery grin before schooling her features into mock seriousness. "Just so you know, if you decide anytime during those five years that you believe me and want to tell me you love me back," she grinned at his fierce blush and loss of composure, "you just go ahead and let me know and we can cut short those loooooong five years."

He wasn't looking at her anymore so she just laughed, her giddiness bubbling over at finally having some possible conclusion to all this drama. "Don't worry," she said, dropping a kiss on his nose, "you'll love it at the shrine with us." He blustered but she was pleased that he didn't deny that one day he'd be living there with her.

Reaching up she stretched her arms above her head and gave an ear-cracking yawn. "Now that that's all set I say we go back to sleep, since we did have all of what – an hour to rest?" She leaned up on one elbow over him and gave him a lascivious smirk. "Or do you think you're ready to go again, cowboy?"

Inuyasha wasn't a hanyou who had to be propositioned twice so when he leaped on her she collapsed in a fit of giggles. "Maybe I should play the cowgirl instead so that I get to ride."

He held her down and nipped her throat. "Oh no, you don't. You already laid that title on me and I ain't letting you wrest it from me – at least not at the moment." Then he actually winked at her, which nearly set Kagome off again.

"Well then," she purred, slowly wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down to her, "what are you waiting for?" He didn't bother replying as he was already working against her and no more words were needed.

* * *

~Owari~

* * *

**A/N: **Erm…well…it's been a while, ne? *sweatdrops* Well the basic gist of it goes like this: I've been diagnosed with some pretty major medical problems and am even facing brain surgery to further define what's going on. Needless to say my life has been reorganized and reprioritized and, as much as I love writing, it's been forcefully relegated to a back burner. This isn't to say I'll be discontinuing the story; in fact it's not even going on hiatus. I just ask your patience in knowing it'll most likely continue to be updated at just about a snail's pace. Sorries.

As always, much thanks to Akihana for doing beta and being a sounding board. Also thanks to all who have continued to support this fic, both in reading and reviewing, in iyfg, and especially during my two and a half month absence. If no one had pushed me during that time I honestly don't know that I'd have had the persistence to continue writing, (well, besides maybe my perverse stubbornness in just saying that I'd finish this danged monstrosity), so yay all ya'll!


	17. Tension

Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler

* * *

**Chapter 17: Tension**  
- intense, suppressed suspense, anxiety, or excitement  
- a strained relationship between individuals

* * *

Kagome felt the mattress shift beneath her and groggily stepped down from the dream world when she heard water sloshing, which didn't make sense in either setting. She opened her eyes to the glorious sight of Inuyasha's naked back as he hurriedly toweled off from his impromptu sponge bath, just before slipping into some pants.

"Huh?" she muttered intelligently, wiping the sleep from her eyes. "Where you going?"

He shifted and for a moment she thought he almost looked uncomfortable. "I gotta go get my testing done."

"Test?" she repeated. "What subject? And why do you have to get it done at-" she squinted at the clock, "2pm? Aren't you usually sleeping right about now - like we _should_ be doing?"

"No dummy." He rolled his eyes at her. "My weekly blood draw? It's done at the healing shrine next door and they prefer to keep more normal hours."

At that she sat up and slapped her cheeks lightly. "Am I really just that far asleep still or is there a reason I should know what the heck you're talking about?"

"You _do _know about our health and safety checks, right?" he said leadingly. At her blank stare he groaned. "For- You don't know anything about this place, do you?"

She just held up her hands and he took a moment to pull on a shirt. "We gotta get checked once a week to make sure we didn't catch anything from any clients and to make sure that if we did we won't pass it on to anyone else."

At her look of growing comprehension - and horror - he shrugged. "Comes with the job description. Government safety standards and all that bull. Plus all the females get pregnancy tests once a month and that's where all us guys get restocked up on our condom supplies." Her eyes just widened and he cursed softly. "Oh c'mon, you had to at least know that much, right? I mean it's common sense."

She managed a sheepish little smile that he took to mean she hadn't. Walking over to the corner he pulled out the pitcher and started to wipe down his face and neck. "Why in the world hasn't Ryu caught you up to speed yet then? He's gotta know that Kazuma didn't tell you shit." Wringing out the cloth he continued, "So if you didn't know about then at least that explains why you never requested I use any protection - it is up to the customer's prerogative, ya know."

Suddenly with great delicacy he put everything down and spoke slowly. "Wait a minute...if I wasn't..." Without warning he spun on her. "Damn it, you really could have ended up pregnant, wench!"

"No, no, no!" she yelled, holding up her hands as if warding him off. "I've been on birth control the whole time, I swear!"

He stared her down a long moment but apparently decided that was good enough and nodded. "Fine. Hell, you've probably come up against most of the major rules by now so hopefully there won't be anymore surprises."

She crossed her arms and glared at him, unwilling to admit what he said was true. Besides, it wasn't _her _fault she didn't know anything about the darn place. She'd put the miscommunication on her list of complaints to the administration...right after the abuse of her favorite hanyou.

"So...why haven't I ever seen you go get tested before?" she asked.

"You ain't never stayed with me all day before." She nodded. That was true enough, and the thought that she was getting away with doing so now sent excited little chills all through her body.

As she backtracked her way through the conversation, just to make sure she'd absorbed everything now that she was over her shock, she latched onto something that stuck out to her. "But if you're the only hanyou here then how can they check you by a blood test? I mean, wouldn't the DNA coding be different enough from both youkai and ningen to have trouble diagnosing?"

Inuyasha's eyebrows shot up. Where on earth had such an in-depth question come from, and on that of all things? "Naw, it's close enough. They actually run it on both the demon and human tests and then a mixed version they created. Besides, they're just searching the blood for a disease; they couldn't care less about my DNA. Plus a lot can just be visually diagnosed." Kagome cringed at that idea.

"Don't worry about it," he griped at her. "All my clients are real careful when they come in because they know if they get me infected I'm off the market and then they don't have anyone to toy around with. Pays for them to make sure they keep clean." He wouldn't add that he thought some clients did have one STD or another but those were part of a particular group of his customers. Those sickos didn't actually have any sexual contact with him at all, they just got off touching themselves and ripping him a new one. Assholes.

Kagome pulled him from his ramblings when she suddenly started bouncing up and down on the bed, though it wasn't helping his concentration at all that she hadn't put on a top, so it took him a second to catch on to what she was saying. "...Can I have some of your blood?"

"What the-?" Shaking his head he stuck his fingers into his ears to clear them out. "Come again?"

She gave him a patronizing look as she finally caught on and brought the sheet up to cover herself. "I _said _I've been working with a doctor at medical school and we were wondering how hanyou DNA compared across the board so I was wondering if you'd mind letting me have a sample of your blood?"

Her expression was strange, a sort of cringe mixed with a smile, and he gathered that was her hoping for a 'yes' but expecting a 'no'. But, he figured, he'd shed blood for every single one of his other clients so why not her as well? "As long as you're not planning to use it to take over the world I guess that's fine."

"And if I am?" she said smiling. After all, she wanted a worldwide revolution where hanyou could live freely, so this could very well be a first step, no? She giggled at the thought.

He pondered that a long time and Kagome started to worry he'd taken her seriously. "Nah," he said, straight-faced, "you're not the domineering type."

"Why you-!" she yelled, throwing a pillow that he avoided easily, snickering at her. "I'll show you when you get back."

That he took as his cue to leave. Opening the door he gave her a mock bow, speaking derisively, "Yeah, we'll see." Closing the door swiftly behind him he couldn't help but chuckle as he heard something connect solidly behind him.

Spirits lifted, especially knowing that, despite her temper, he'd still have her waiting for him when he returned, he strolled leisurely down the corridor.

* * *

After muttering to herself a good while about arrogant hanyou Kagome finally settled herself down enough to doze lightly for a while. Despite still being tired she wasn't able to stay asleep as she kept coming up with different plans of just what she would do to Inuyasha to prove herself when he came in that door. Luckily she didn't have long to wait or else her nerves would have been on end.

When he strolled in she graced him with one of the most wicked grins he could recall in recent memory, which was why he was disappointed when it left her mouth so she could form her words. "Where's the blood?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.

He poked a thumb at his chest. "Right here, keeping me alive - where do you think, woman?" Suddenly it clicked. "Oh, you do remember blood goes bad quickly and without refrigeration, right?"

Her face instantly bloomed crimson and he smirked at her discomfort. "Should I be scared for any of your future patients?"

"Oh, shut up!" she pouted. "Sorry if I my mind was occupied with other things at the moment."

Pulling his shirt off slowly, enjoying her eyes on him, he asked, "Well then...you wanna get to those _other things_." Waggling his eyebrows for effect he had Kagome holding her sides.

"Most assuredly," she enthused. "On the bed, _now_."

"Yes, ma'am," he answered, then with a motion that seemed effortless pushed off and leaped the length of the room to land on the mattress, careful to grab hold of Kagome so she didn't go sprawling off the bed with the impact.

"So what you got planned?" he whispered against the shell of her ear and she had to fight the heady feeling from his lips brushing against her. Pulling back from him she then leaned forward, grasping one of the manacles and opening it for him. Without a word he let himself be locked in and she paused carefully, knowing the dynamic was different from the last time she'd had him in cuffs since he had no chance of breaking these if he got uncomfortable with the situation.

"Okay, now", she said with a levity in her voice despite how her eyes said she was dead serious, "do you need a safeword?"

He was surprised she even knew what a safeword was, let alone that she'd _offer_ to give him such a free way out if he didn't like where she was going with things. Did she expect him to need the safety? That was a galling thought. Still…what did she take him for, a total pansy? He got dealt stuff every night she could probably never comprehend, and would hopefully never need to know about, so he was sure he'd be fine enough with her.

"Why would _I_ need one? You didn't when I had you in these last night."

She rolled her eyes. "That could be because you never gave me the choice. Besides, I trust you so there's no need." The implication lingered that he didn't return the sentiment. "So, what you think?"

Chin up he sniffed. "Course not, wench."

She couldn't say his reply surprised her. He was nothing if not stubborn and, as always, showed that strange contradiction of self-deprecation and pride that made him somewhat unpredictable and sometimes tricky to deal with. She had figured it might be a blow but she knew she had to offer, seeing as how she was holding complete power in the situation at this point and that had to goad him. Then her eyes snapped open as she realized what had just happened; he'd negated any indication he would _need_ a safeword, meaning...he might just be learning to _trust_ her.

With a squeal of glee she threw herself on him, ignoring his undignified 'oof' as she busied herself kissing every available inch of skin she could reach. It wasn't long though before the kisses became less exuberant and more seductive, longer, and more drugging as they both quickly succumbed to the passion that lay between them. With only his shirt off she worked her way up from his stomach to his chest, his shoulders, his neck, his jawline, then finally his face. When she kissed her way across his cheek he quickly shifted his head away when she got too close to his mouth.

Already short of breath she pulled back and panted out, "Inuyasha, I want to kiss you." His face remained averted so she threw in an impassioned, "Please?"

Finally he answered, "You're the one paying, I'll do what you tell me to do."

Kagome couldn't help it. She slapped her hand down so hard on his chest she knew it had to have left a red mark. "I'll have you know that's the worst answer you could have possibly given me. I'd prefer it if you just said no! It's not like I'll force you to do something you don't want to. What do you think that whole 'safeword' thing was about?"

"What? It's the truth!" he yelled back, automatically on the defense.

"Is that what you really think about me?"

"What-"

"No," she cut off, "don't answer that." She rested her forehead in her palm and shook her head. "Okay, new rule."

He didn't like the sound of that.

"You have to do whatever the _client_ wants, right?"

No, he definitely didn't like the sound of that.

"Right," she continued without waiting for a response. "So here it is. From now on I don't want you to do anything with me you don't want to do. That means you don't have to joke with me, eat with me, let me stay here during the daytime, heck, you don't even have to sleep with me if you don't want. The only thing I'll ask is that you not kick me out altogether, seeing as I do kinda enjoy being around you and all and did pay for the privilege - but in my mind that's _all_ I paid for, the joy of your company and that's it. Period. Anything else is at your discretion, got it?"

Inuyasha just stared at her in confusion and growing wonder. Didn't she understand that all he was good for was fulfilling other people's fantasies? Even she'd been no different, her fantasies had just been nicer and a bit more personal. So now she wanted to take herself completely out of the equation and leave it up to him? What the hell did that even mean? Was she just playing around or was she serious? Either way it made her crazy.

"Inuyasha..." she ground out. Apparently she _was _being serious and wasn't taking kindly to his lack of affirmation.

"Uh, yeah, got it," he replied eloquently.

Immediately she leaned forward and started undoing the manacles, saying, "Good," just as she got the first one off.

Not sure where she was going with things now he asked, "What are you doing?"

The second cuff opened with a clank and Kagome plopped down next to him, turning toward the wall and laying on her side, curled up on herself, breaking all contact with him. "I'm not in the mood anymore. Let's just go back to sleep."

He was tempted to be a bit snide about it and ask what would happen if he didn't want to but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. Besides…it bothered him her acting that way. He just mutely wrapped his arms around her, not completely following what had just happened. Why on earth had she reacted so strongly to that? It was just the reality of their situation; he thought she'd accepted that by now. So was she more bothered by his not kissing her or his response?

His mind fumbled around as he tried to understand her reasoning. All he knew was that he had upset her and he didn't like that at all. He pulled her closer against him where she'd become a dead weight, and slowly moved his hands down her side, along the length of her arms. Not a word was said between them but it seemed they were able to find some amount of comfort in each other despite the tension still radiating in the air.

He just kept his hands moving, fiddling with her fingers before coming up to play with her hair before running down again. Suddenly, though, he felt something a little odd. He ran his fingers across her forearm over and over again, Kagome so deep in her thoughts that she didn't realize the significance of what he was touching until it was too late.

"What is this?" he asked, the evenness of his voice making her jumpy. She nonchalantly tried to pull her arm away but he was having none of it and grasped her wrist firmly.

"Oh, it's nothing, nothing at all!" she squeaked. "You know how clumsy I can be, I just fell, that's all."

He sat up then and grabbed her other hand, turning and rearranging her until her forearms were side by side. Twisting her arms gently he studied them in the differing light. The marks were barely visible, the pink tinged hue only a shade different than her own skin, and they were hardly raised at all from the rest of her arm, letting him know in only a short time they would be gone and she'd be healed completely. It was no wonder he'd missed them until now, as he didn't think he'd actually come into full contact with her forearms yet.

But as relieved as he was to know she wasn't severely or permanently injured his ire rose as he noticed there was an obvious pattern to the marks. Long parallel lines ran the length of skin from elbow to wrist and there was no way that would be natural from some sort of clumsy fall. She had been trying to hide something from him and he didn't like that at all.

"You're lying to me," he said, his voice dangerous and low. His mind was whirling with all the worst scenarios, of things that could cause such wounds and what reasons she would have to not tell him up front. "The truth, _now_."

She finally gave up tugging on her arms. "You don't want to know, trust me. You're better off for it."

Alarm bells went off in his head and he grasped her more tightly. "I don't care. Tell me."

Kagome could hear the slight note of panic in his voice and cursed herself. She had fervently hoped the cuts would've healed by then and she could avoid this whole confrontation. She didn't want to expose this other part of her life to him just yet but there was no way she could, in good conscience, let him worry about her like this, especially when she saw his eyes widen ever so slightly.

She sighed, burying her face in his shoulder. Feeling his question she just plunged right into her explanation, knowing there was no way she could get through her story looking him in the face and worrying about any expressions he made.

"There was...this boy I saw on the street. He was shot and I held him while he died."

His heart clenched for her, for having to bear witness to something so horrible, and he held her close as he knew it must be uncomfortable for her to revisit such memories. Still, despite that, his questions weren't answered and he wouldn't let her get away with such vagaries.

"Why was he shot?"

"He stole something." Inuyasha sighed inwardly. Apparently he was going to have to drag every word from her. He wasn't experienced in things like that so it could take a while.

"Who shot him?"

A pause. "The cops."

Something in him stilled. Things were going in a direction he didn't like, not at all. He glanced down at where his hand was slowly stroking over her arm and suddenly it clicked. He splayed his fingers and knew those slightly curved marks had been created by fingernails. No, not fingernails. Those wouldn't be sharp enough to do more than scrape, and certainly nothing deep enough to take this long to heal. The color and type of puckering told him these wounds had been there for at least a few weeks. And fingernails wouldn't be strong enough to inflict something like this, they'd break off or bend long before doing anything this severe.

So if not fingernails then...claws. A boy, shot dead for mere theft, with claws.

He choked on the answer. "He was hanyou?"

She nodded silently into his shoulder and he was stunned, then enraged. "Why the hell would you do something like that, you idiot! Claws like this could have torn you apart, not to mention siding with a hanyou against the law. You could get in trouble for being a sympathizer. Damn it, why would you endanger yourself like that?!"

Pounding her fist on his chest she glared at him. "How could I not?!" she yelled back at him. "He was only a child, around the same age as my brother, and he was shot for a petty crime. There was no way I could just let him die alone! No one deserves that kind of indignity. It was the only thing I could do for him so I did it." She was panting in rage and staring fiercely at him, just daring him to gainsay her on this.

He could only stare back, not able to comprehend what she was saying. "Why?" he asked, feeling suddenly lost.

She wasn't positive the direction of his question but took a stab at what she figured was at the heart of the matter anyhow. "Why would I help him when he was a hanyou, you mean? Inuyasha...not everything is black and white in this world. Maybe it is to some people but not to me. It didn't matter what kind of blood he had flowing through his veins, I only cared that it was spilling onto the road. I would have done the same thing had he been human or youkai."

Her anger gone she was depressed again by the direction of the conversation. "All I saw was a life being extinguished in front of me. How could anyone with even a modicum of compassion not go to him?"

She wrapped her arms around him, suddenly wary when she felt how incredibly tense he was. "You're not...angry, are you?"

He forcibly relaxed himself and turned to look at the top of her head, her face once again buried against his chest. His free hand came up to stroke her gently as he said, "Of course not, stupid." She hadn't realized how tense she was herself until she relaxed at his words.

Even as he held her though he tried to shield himself from the significance of her actions, of what he'd just discovered. She'd helped a boy, a _hanyou _boy, despite what she had to know would be a danger to herself. She'd held him in his death throes even as he'd cut up her arms with his claws. No one did things like that in real life. He still just couldn't wrap his mind around it.

Unless...she truly didn't care that the boy was a half-breed. Unless, like she said, she only saw someone dying and not his genetic composition. And if she didn't mind that the boy had been hanyou...

His entire being shuddered at the possibility he was trying to keep himself from grasping for, but he couldn't prevent himself from following the thought through.

So then...maybe she really _didn't_ mind that he himself was hanyou.

No, he immediately rejected the idea and scoffed at it for being ridiculous. There was no way it couldn't bother her in some way so there had to be some sort of other explanation...right?

Kagome, meanwhile, was feeling exceedingly foolish. She was glad Inuyasha had seemed to drop the conversation of her encounter with the boy and that he hadn't read any further into it, hadn't questioned her further, leading her to reveal her involvement in the hanyou and youkai communities. She didn't want to dump that on him, as he'd probably somehow turn it around on himself and feel responsible for bringing her into a more dangerous lifestyle. Plus she still wanted his decisions about their relationship to be based solely on their relationship.

Which took her mind to darker matters. She felt like an idiot about asking him to kiss her earlier. Sometimes she felt so confident, thinking she knew what he felt even if he wouldn't admit it, but now she wondered if she was only really seeing what she wanted to see. What if she was pushing him to go places he just didn't want to go?

Almost inaudibly she mumbled, "I'm sorry," into his shoulder.

Inuyasha paused his alternating giddy and reeling thoughts to raise an eyebrow at her. "What for, wench?"

She shook her head against his shoulder and with a sigh he let it go.

There was really nothing more to say and the two of them were both physically and emotionally exhausted so within moments they were asleep.

* * *

Kagome rolled out of the bed after a short while, glad for once that she'd awoken with Inuyasha on the other side of the bed. It seemed to always happen in one of two ways: either he was sprawled out against the wall or was clutching onto her for dear life. Given the fact that she had some serious thinking to do at the moment, though, she appreciated how much easier this made it for her to get up without waking him as well.

She pulled the extra blanket with her, wrapping it around herself as she huddled on the floor by the foot of the bed, leaning back against the side of it. Her head fell back with a thud and she stared blankly at the craggy ceiling.

Was she really just fooling herself?

Thinking back, Inuyasha had reacted rather adamantly to her request for a kiss. Obviously it was either distasteful to him or he _really _didn't want to involve himself with her in any way other than physically. Then again...he wasn't really given the option of whether to involve himself physically either, not when he was a paid-for commodity.

She shuddered a little in revulsion at the thought.

It had seemed like things were going so well. They'd talked and she'd even finagled him finally into accepting her five-year proposal. The question was, was she really twisting his arm and getting him to go along with something he really didn't want?

No, actually, the question was whether this love _was _entirely unrequited or not. She'd been convinced for the last year that he really had cared for her and was just too preoccupied with their circumstances to act on it. But what if she was just being full of herself and that wasn't what was going on at all? She was the first person to treat him with any modicum of respect and kindness, aside from Ryu, and certainly the first client to do so. So of course he would be appreciative.

She could have smacked herself for the obviousness of it all. He could merely be 'repaying her for her kindness', as he intoned all the time, and she was simply reading into it whatever she wanted to see.

Then...did it have anything to do with her at all? Would he be acting the same had some other girl come in first and treated him well? For that matter, if another client came along _now_ that respected him would he treat the new girl the same, or maybe even better than he was currently treating her?

The thought froze her in her tracks and she suddenly had trouble catching her breath.

Was his pushing her away his polite way of saying he wasn't interested as opposed to his inability to accept the way he felt? The more she thought about it, it certainly made sense. What if he didn't want to accept her offer of staying at her place because it would be awkward due to such a mismatched relationship? And his not wanting to make that five-year deal at all...maybe he just didn't want to lead her on. Even with what they eventually agreed upon, at the end of the specified time he only had to accept that she truly did love him, it said nothing about him in return.

_Man, I'm an idiot._ She couldn't repress the urge to hit herself repeatedly on the forehead but settled for only once for fear of waking Inuyasha from the sound her hand would make against her hollow head.

Still, still...she _loved_ him, arrogant jerk and all. She tried to perk herself up. It wasn't like he _had _to return her feelings this very moment. She had five years to convince him, right? Even if that didn't work she could keep pestering him until she died if he was too pig-headed to accept her. Unless of course he was blatantly clear and utterly broke her heart...

_No,_ she shook her head. Even then she had to stay strong. She had told him she was committed to him and she would try her hardest to be by his side for everything. She had to hope that was enough and if it wasn't it wasn't. There was only so much she could worry about right then.

* * *

Inuyasha woke slowly to the delicious knowledge that Kagome was nearby. His time perception was off though and he was still asleep enough that he couldn't tell if he was partially dreaming and just remembering the last time she'd been there or if she really were there with him. The strength of her scent permeating the air around him though led him to believe, or at least hope, the latter. Groggily he groped at the space around him, searching the bed for her but only finding cold sheets.

Rousing himself fully he flipped to his other side and saw the back of her head peeking over the side of bed. Why on earth was she sitting on his cold, concrete floor when she could be in his very warm, comfortable bed with a very warm, cozy _him_?

"Whatch'ya doing down there?"

"Setting up a picnic," she said without turning around.

He negligently leaned out of the bed to take a peek at her handiwork. She'd gotten dressed - unfortunately - but still had his blanket draped loosely around her shoulders. Aside from that she had another blanket spread on the ground; it was pink so she most definitely had to have brought that from home. Best of all there was food spread out - in an actual picnic basket no less. Where on earth she'd managed to stash that he wasn't sure but the touch was mildly impressive. After all, he'd never had the luxury of a genuine outdoor picnic so the idea was novel to him.

Still, something seemed slightly off, and her shoulders were slumped entirely too much to be considered healthy. "You all right?" he asked cautiously.

She turned to him with a wide, fake smile he saw through immediately despite its brilliance. "Yeah, sure, I'm great."

He stared at her thoughtfully as she turned back around. He didn't prod further because he didn't want to push her, plus he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to know what was wrong.

Instead he crawled out of the bed, excited at the prospect of food - especially if it meant he wouldn't have to deal with the shitheads in the cafeteria or send her out to pick something up. He didn't want to admit it, even to himself, but he was more comfortable that she hadn't left his quarters yet. He still worried he was dreaming up this whole thing about her coming back. Plus there was always the chance that something would happen while she was out, like Kazuma would get his slimy hands on her or she'd run into Kouga again. Despite what she'd said about her former relationship with him she'd still been entirely too close to the ookami for his taste.

When she wouldn't look at him, even after he sat down, he finally got the idea and pulled on a pair of old, torn up sweat pants. He sniggered about the idea of her being _distracted _seeing him naked while eating and was tempted to heckle her about it, but ultimately decided the call of food was stronger.

She pushed the basket directly in front of him and he dug in without question, hungry enough that he didn't care that there were only rice balls. She blushed slightly, despite the fact that he hadn't said anything. "I made this all at home and had to pack stuff that wouldn't go bad without any refrigeration."

"I ain't complaining," he shrugged. Although, now that his stomach wasn't growling fiercely at him... "Why haven't you eaten anything yet? You had to be up ages before me."

Ducking her head she replied, "I thought it would be rude to start without you. Besides, all my guy friends back home can eat me under the table and seem be hungry all the time, so I figured you'd be famished and wanted to make sure you got enough to eat first."

He paused then, picked up the largest rice ball he saw, and placed it firmly in her hand. "Eat," he commanded. Surprisingly she obliged without a word of argument and he grunted his approval before digging back into the meal.

Around his seventh or eighth one he finally slowed enough to wonder about something. "Where'd all this stuff come from?" Kagome, her mouth gratifyingly full of rice at the moment, nodded over toward her enormous yellow bag. He hadn't noticed the monstrosity earlier, what with being occupied with other more interesting activities than looking around the room, but he was surprised to see it wasn't even empty yet - and that after she'd removed the blanket, the clothes she was wearing, the food, and that danged basket that he still didn't understand how had fit in there with everything else. How the hell did she manage to carry that thing without falling over anyhow?

"What you still got in there, kitchen sink?"

"Oh!" she intoned brightly, quickly sitting up straight. "That reminds me..." She crawled over to the bag and pulled out a heap of red cloth before making her way back over to him. "This is for you." She thrust it right into his arms, which was a bit awkward since he had food in each hand. Able to tell by its weight that there wasn't anything hidden inside the cloth he let it drop into his lap so he could put the rice balls down, dusted off his hands, then picked the item back up to inspect it.

It appeared to be..."A sweater?" It also seemed a bit lopsided and lumpy, not that he'd ever say that out loud for fear of his life. "You make this?"

At that she laughed. "Oh, no, I wouldn't be able to get it even _that _good. My mom knitted it for you. She's gotten much better though, as you can see." She shrugged off the blanket and he saw a duplicate of his own sweater in purple, except much lumpier, a couple small sections unraveling, and at least three sizes too big. "By the way, she made this for me when I was 12," she finished off ironically. Yes, he agreed silently, it must have looked horrible on her at that age.

He couldn't help the sardonic grin, even as he slipped the red mass over his head. Surprisingly enough it fit rather well, despite pulling in a couple odd places. "Hn, how'd she remember my size so well?"

At that Kagome's eyes dimmed, just a bit. "She didn't have to _remember, _she made it while you were still home with me. She was going to give it to you as a goodbye present but..." She didn't have to finish. With his abrupt departure _none_ of them had gotten a chance to say goodbye. Shit, he hadn't even thought about her family.

"Well, anyhow," she said brightly, trying to shrug off the mood, "you have it now. Granted, it's not as useful since it's the beginning of summer, but they're pretty comfy regardless."

She picked at her sweater and sitting there, staring at her, he found he didn't desire anything so much as to just grab her and hold her, as if that would somehow make the world go away and their being together all right. Of course he didn't act on such a stupid impulse, he'd learned long before that wishes didn't have anything to do with how things really worked, but the strength of his want would have rocked him to his knees were he not already sitting.

So to cover for himself he groused and bit into one of the last two remaining rice balls in his lap, grunting when his other hand only hit wicker. Gone already, huh? "You got any more food in that monster bag of yours?"

She shrugged noncommittally, holding back the information that she had more food in her bag, but she wanted her stash to hold them for as long as possible; she didn't want to be parted from him any sooner than she had to. Still, with the way things were going, she might need to find an excuse to leave sometime soon anyhow just to allow them both to keep their sanity. _On that note..._ she thought wryly. There was one matter that she just absolutely had to get off her chest otherwise she might go crazy worrying about it later.

Kagome knew it was stupid of her, that she'd be ruining the tentative peace they'd just regained, but she couldn't let it go until she said it out loud. "By the way, I'm sorry…you know, for earlier."

It took him a moment to catch on to what she meant but then he shrugged. "What's to worry about? You asked a question, you got an answer. No big deal."

She wanted to tell him that it _was _a big deal but figured she'd be digging herself in deep enough as it was in just a moment. No need to give on just how much it had affected her. "Well, just so you know...I'll always want to kiss you. It's just natural for me. Please, though, don't feel pressured to do anything - I wouldn't even want it if it wasn't freely given."

She hunched her shoulders and buried her face further into her knees, muffling her voice, embarrassment heightening the awkwardness of the situation. "I guess I'm just trying to apologize in advance if I try or ask again in the future, but I'll try to be good. Like I said earlier, don't you dare do anything you don't want, even if I do ask." He was glad to hear the little bit of steel reassert itself in her voice on that last.

"If you ever do decide you want to though..." Trailing off she shrugged. How could she really finish that anyhow? _I'll be more than ready?_ Didn't that sound really pushy or needy? She knew she had to appear bad enough as it was so she didn't need to dig herself in any further.

Inuyasha bit into his finger instead of the rice ball and he cursed under his breath as he tried to figure out what to say that wouldn't incite her anger or get her even more depressed than she appeared to be making herself already. "You know we got those rules for a reason, Kagome..."

"Yeah, I know." She sighed. _It's because you don't want to get too close._

Seeing her huddle in a little more on herself he figured she'd taken the sad route, though how she'd gotten that from a reminder of the Shrine rules he'd never know. Still, he was torn because he wanted to help her, to make her feel better, but he didn't want to encourage her delusions about what she felt for him. Figuring the best way to pull her from her thoughts would be to make her angry, he started in on her:

Loudly smacking his lips he complained, "What, is that really all you brought? Couldn't you have fit more food in that bag, especially with as much as you wore me out the last couple days?"

Kagome glared at him, her eyes suddenly seething. "You ungrateful jerk! I didn't have to make you food at all, I hope you know, and you didn't even say 'thank you.' Now you have the gall to ask for more? You are completely unbelievable!" With a huff she stood and for a minute he worried he'd aggravated her enough she was going to storm right out. He'd still prefer to have a sullen Kagome with him than no Kagome at all. Just as he opened his mouth to call her back though she squatted down and started rummaging through her bag, throwing things all over the place. She pulled out a bundle covered in plastic wrap and lobbed it at his head. "There, you happy?"

He caught it easily, much to her further annoyance and his great amusement, and as he looked down he poked at it as he inspected the package. "Food?"

She crossed her arms sat back down next to him, not quite touching but close enough that he could easily close the gap if he leaned in. He did just that and felt her relax against him immediately. She must have been more wired than he'd thought.

"Yeah, food," she replied and laid her head against his shoulder. It seemed her sleep deprivation was finally catching up with her now that she'd worried herself out. "And no, before you even ask, there isn't any more; that's the last of it. I'd been hoping to hold onto it for a little longer so I could postpone having to brave this _lovely_ city of yours," she said, her voice dripping sarcasm, "but as it stands next time we're hungry I'll just have to go find us some grub."

Inuyasha, having no luck finding the end of the blasted plastic wrap, finally just dug in his claws and pulled out the first morsel of food, holding it to Kagome's lips. "Eat," he commanded.

She tried to push it away. "You first, I made it for you after all. Besides, I'm still tired and just want to sleep now."

Not to be deterred, however, he just pushed the food more insistently against her mouth. "Food first, then you can sleep as long as you want." When she didn't comply immediately he threatened, "You know I have no problem forcing you to eat..."

That did it but Kagome only ate a little bit before nodding off to sleep against his shoulder even as he finished off the rest of the food. The last thing she was aware of was being gently lifted and tucked into the bed against a warm body and she smiled softly at the feel of his sweater underneath her cheek.

* * *

**A/N:** eh, not much to say this time around.

But nice catch to **jaimed1968** about Inuyasha not noticing Kagome's wounds. I'd purposefully had them preoccupied to put off another emotional drama for them. Her forearms the first days were always facing away from him or behind his back, so nothing to really notice yet. Oh how I love dashing Kagome's poor hopes at subversion.

Thanks all for your continued support and thanks to Akihana as always for playing beta. Til next time.


	18. Consternation

Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler

* * *

**Chapter 18:** **Consternation  
**- a sudden, alarming amazement or dread that results in utter confusion  
- overcome, confuse, dismay  
- bewilderment

* * *

After a few days Inuyasha and Kagome had been forced to give into their stomachs' impatient grumblings; holding out as long as they could by living off the food in Kagome's backpack could only work for so long. They had finally gotten to the point where they could no longer put off getting some serious sustenance into them – especially not if they wanted to do anything more than loll about during their remaining time left. So Kagome bit the bullet and went out to buy what she could to hopefully last them a couple days, irritated not only at leaving Inuyasha but at the fact she'd have to stay out until night set. Neither of them wanted to risk her being seen by the wrong person and getting ratted out about the fact she was there when she shouldn't be.

Still, it would be good to get out for a bit and stretch her legs.

She smiled as she caught a sleepy Ryu finishing up his paperwork in the lobby. Cracking a yawn herself she settled down on the stool next to him. "So how have you been? I haven't really gotten the chance to catch up with you yet."

He eyed her slyly. "Yes, I haven't seen much of you at all."

Ducking her head slightly in embarrassment Ryu marveled about the fact that anyone in this building still had the ability to blush. "I've been keeping myself busy, that's all."

"I'm sure you have." Seeing she didn't catch the dry note of humor in his voice he took pity on her and cracked a small grin. "It's nice to see you come out of your cave. How has everything been going with you two?"

"Oh, same as usual." She waved a hand airily. "Fun, talking, fighting – lots of drama basically."

There were many things they obviously had to catch up on, more than they feasibly could at the moment especially considering the location and possible presence of other ears, but he could see something festering under her skin. "What is it?"

She started, having drifted off into her own thoughts. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that normally, no matter how things are going, you're still energetic and look like you're glad just to be alive. Right now you just look…tired."

Sighing she had to concede his point. "I'm not sure I'm so much as tired as…" She trailed off, shaking her head. "I finally coerced Inuyasha into a deal. If I keep coming continually for 5 years he has to accept my feelings – well, not really _accept_ them per se, just admit that I have them and I'm not going to cry off like he worries I will."

Ryu was confused. To him it sounded like a fabulous compromise but from the way she looked so disgruntled with her brow furrowed like that he doubted she agreed. "And the problem is…?" he asked leadingly.

She muffled a small sound of frustration, as if he should see it on his own. "First of all five years is a _long_ time."

He shook his head. "Not when you consider all he'd be risking at the end of it."

"That's just it – he's not risking anything because he didn't commit to anything other than admitting than I'm not lying. He's not saying he'll tell me if he feels anything at all, not promising to any sort of action, so it really doesn't hold any sort of resolution at all. I can't help but wonder somehow if I'm just wasting my time."

"You can't mean that," Ryu said disbelievingly, aghast at the idea. "What would that mean for your deal then, for all you've fought for in the last year, for all you've said about loving him and continuing to love him regardless of anything. Wouldn't that be a slap in the face to all of that, to _us_?"

She hid her smile at how protective Ryu continued to be of Inuyasha, of all of them, and felt lighter of heart remembering there was someone else on their side. "That's not what I meant at all. Nothing could change my mind or heart about Inuyasha and what I wish could be but I'm starting to feel that's all it'll ever be, a _wish_. Even if I force and prod him into accepting my feelings that doesn't mean that anything will change logistically between us. There's only so far I can go before he has to meet me part way, and I'm not sure he'll ever be willing to risk it and take that final leap. This is what he _knows_ and I'm not certain there's any way I can ever compete with that."

As she slumped back into the stool Ryu had to wonder at her naïveté. "Have you even stopped to step back from the situation and see what this deal would mean to him? Just the fact that he would agree to something like this speaks tremendously. We both know he cares for you, in one capacity or another, so do you really think he would agree to this with no intentions on his part, knowing it would just give you false hope? He's stubborn enough there's no way you could really force or coerce him into agreeing with to this if some part of him didn't want to in the first place. Yes, there's still a long way to go, but I'd say this is a big step for him and you should be encouraged by it."

She wasn't so sure. "Yes he cares for me in some capacity, that's _why_ I can't accept that so easily. He acts tough but he's really kind deep down inside so maybe he just couldn't stand to see me so totally crushed, hoping that – as he believes it's just a short, myopic infatuation – I'll grow out of it long before the five years are up."

He opened his mouth to reply but Kagome was obviously done with the conversation when she stood and dusted off her knees. "Anyhow, I shouldn't be keeping you for so long when you've got to finish your paperwork. I'll be off so you can go home and go to sleep."

Starting off at a trot toward the exit she stopped suddenly and turned around. "I almost forgot – there's some other stuff I need to talk to you about." She glanced around meaningfully to imply the Shrine lobby wasn't the appropriate place to talk anyhow. "I gather you'll be around later?"

"Yeah."

"Good." She turned back immediately and was out the door in a flash.

* * *

Inuyasha had pretended to nod off to sleep when Kagome left but while his mind was exhausted his body was restless. After his reunion interlude with her, toying with her and teasing her for hours on end, she'd been entirely too raw and sore to do much of anything. So they'd played around lightly with each other, slept a bit, but mostly just talked about anything and everything. Well…she talked a lot and he listened. The exchange had taken more out of him than he'd imagined.

Through it though he'd finally been able to put his finger on some of what made them so different and what made it nearly impossible for anything to work between them. It wasn't just about the fact that she was a better person than he was…or, not _solely_ about it. Their experiences had also just changed them too dramatically from the other. Even now, when she was exposed to some of his world, she had this inherent optimism about all the ways that things could be fixed. Her naïveté was so ingrained as a part of her character that she'd never be able to see things the way they truly were.

He was different. The world already hated him so it saw no reason to hold up the carefully constructed social masks. It relished showing him the gritty, ugly core of what it was all about. Even though it may beat her around a bit the world loved people like Kagome.

In the end she'd never see the core of the hatred that surrounded him, that was the essence of his life. She'd never truly understand and, though that maintained that damnable chasm between them, he liked it better that way; she'd already been entirely too sullied by her association with him. The purer she was able to remain the better for everyone involved.

Yet it was for that, for her damned gleaming white soul that he couldn't bring himself to fully trust her.

If, for instance, he accepted her offer to go live with her and she did realize she didn't truly love him, what then? She might regret her decision, feel miserable, even come to hate him, but she'd never let him know, never turn him out. No, she would feel bound by the commitment that she'd made, by the fact that she'd pulled him into the situation, and would keep on blithely pretending everything was fine, all for _his_ sake.

Or worse, what if she had convinced herself she loved him right now just because she thought he _needed_ to be loved? It was very likely that her nature had caused her to step in to fill the void just because no one else had yet.

What if that was the case? Her own kindness could be her downfall and it was that, specifically, that prevented him from being able to rely on her completely. He didn't know to what extents she'd sacrifice herself for what she thought was good for someone else.

He may be a bastard but there was no way he could take advantage of that. He'd just have to be strong and try to weather out the next five years in indifference until she slowly lost interest and faded out of his life.

* * *

Kagome let out a muffled yell as she tossed the book across the room, not able to bring herself to care about the censorious gaze from the librarian.

Nothing. Still _nothing_. No matter how long and hard she looked, no matter how many times she came back to the library, she wasn't able to find anything further about hanyou. It made no sense! From what she'd picked up so far there had to be at least some code for the interaction between the youkai and human societies, so it was feasible those could be applied to hanyou as well, but she couldn't even find that! _What's with this place? It seriously has to be a conspiracy or something…_

Despondent and aggravated she went out in search for food, knowing further searching in the dusty tomes would only frustrate her further. She'd been starved when she headed out earlier in the morning and grabbed some breakfast, feeling guilty that Inuyasha would have to wait a few more hours for his food. Unfortunately it wouldn't exactly do for her to be seen sneaking into his room during non-business hours so to make up for it she planned to pick up a veritable feast on her way back to the Shrine.

Still, even after she'd picked up the two bags stuffed with food from the restaurant, there was at least an hour until the Shrine would start taking its first appointments. Sighing she realized how boring this town was without Inuyasha. She'd found the festive street Kouga had taken her to before but just couldn't get in the mood when she thought about how Inuyasha was stuck in that stuffy room while she took in the sights. Plus, now that she'd seen it once, it wasn't nearly as interesting. It was odd but she felt like everybody was always leering at something and honestly she just wanted to get away from the crowd.

She decided to head back over to the Shrine so she'd at least be close when they opened, or hoped to maybe even find a way to sneak in early. At the very least she knew there were lots of benches scattered around the grounds so if she got tired of carrying everything she could take a break.

Wandering over to the healing part of the Shrine she realized she hadn't given it that much thought before. It was rather ironic to her that a place that emphasized spiritual wholeness was connected to one that stripped Inuyasha of any and all rights. Then again, she wondered how many of the healers knew what happened in the darkest recesses of the main Bacana Shrine. Aside from maybe Kikyou, that was, and for some reason that thought didn't settle as well as she expected it to.

She knew, from experience even, that most of the goings on were above board and carried out with at least a modicum of respect, even if it still did shock her on some level that empty sex was a form of worship. Oh, she'd grown up knowing that it was one of the many ways to plead a kami's favor, just as all the different deities had their own rites and rituals, but now that she'd actually experienced sex, and sex with a tetsudai, it just seemed different. Then again, how many people showed up and fell in love with one of the tetsudai, let alone one with Inuyasha's stubbornness and in his situation?

She wondered if that meant the kami was cruel, allowing Inuyasha to be used in such a way, or if he was blessing their union? How many people went to fulfill their duty to worship and ended up finding love? Maybe even the kami was sickened by Inuyasha's situation and sent her to help free him?

She sighed in disgust. It was always so difficult to understand the minds of the kamis so it was best to just ignore it all together unless a blatant sign came up. Besides, even if the first situation was true and this kami was a cruel one, she would spend every ounce of effort fighting him for Inuyasha's sake, for the sake of any other hanyou that might land himself or herself in such a situation, and wouldn't think twice about it. She just fervently hoped that wasn't the case as she already felt that she was in far over her head and could use all the help she could get.

Abruptly she came to a halt when she almost walked into the corner of the next building. Backing up slightly she noticed a sign just to her left, beside a door. It simply read 'manager' and she smiled. She'd just been led directly to Ryu's apartments. "Thank you," she whispered quietly to anyone who might be listening, then put down her bags and knocked quietly on the door; she didn't want to wake him if he wasn't already up.

Just when she was about to give up she heard shuffling behind the door and it was opened by a cautious Ryu. "Kagome? What on earth are you doing here?"

She opened her mouth to answer but he forestalled her. Glancing to either side to see if anyone else was around he quickly ushered her inside, closing the door behind her. "Silly girl, don't you know the trouble you could cause by being here?"

"Not really," she answered honestly. "What's the worst anyone could imagine, that you and I were having a liaison?" She smiled when he blushed but had the good manners to pretend she hadn't noticed. "As far as I can tell there's nothing in the rules about that – just that I need to be paying for those employed as tetsudai. Seeing as the Shrine's still closed and you work a different job I don't really see the problem."

He shook his head. She was right about the straight forward issues but there would always be people like Kazuma who could get jealous and say he was abusing his authority over Kagome or some other such nonsense. _Oh well,_ he mused, _no use worrying about what's already done._

Pulling out a chair for her at his dining table he took his seat and resumed his dinner. "Hope you don't mind but I've got to get some food in me before my shift starts otherwise I might start snapping at people." The image of a surly little Ryu shaking his finger angrily at customers and workers alike made Kagome giggle. "Sorry, did you want some? I've still got plenty…" he motioned over to the stove.

"I'm fine." She'd narrowly managed to grab her bags before Ryu pulled her inside and now nudged them with her foot where they sat on the floor. "I grabbed some food for Inuyasha and I to share once I get back. I already ate earlier today so it'd be rude for me to have two meals before he gets his."

He raised a supercilious eyebrow at her. "If he's that hungry he _can_ go to the cafeteria, you know."

"Yeah, but we both know if he could at all avoid it he'd probably wait until he was near starvation before making himself go there." She added under her breath, "Not that I could blame him."

Ryu nodded once but marveled at the girl. How was it she was so easily able to understand some things about Inuyasha but could be completely oblivious to others? Take their deal, for example; did she really not see how much of a stretch this was for the defensive hanyou or was she just too scared to hope for anything? He could understand if she was. He was pulling so hard for the two of them to be able to work things out, to find some sort of happiness out of this situation, but the way fate conspired against them he wondered if it would ever be possible.

"Anyhow, Kagome, what was it you'd wanted to talk about earlier?"

She wanted to ask him if he thought there was any hope that she would ever end up with Inuyasha in the way she wanted, if there was any way she'd be able to help his situation at all, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Not only did she fear the answer but she didn't want her situation in the Shrine to have ultimate bearing in the next decision she needed to make.

"I've met another hanyou," she started instead, deciding to gloss over the first hanyou she'd met outside the Shrine, the one she'd watched die in her arms. At Ryu's wide-eyed expression though she couldn't help but smile wryly. "I don't think they're nearly as uncommon as we've believed."

She proceeded to give him a short synopsis of how she'd met Yami and Josef, of the fear, the misunderstanding, and ultimately the support and love she saw fostering in the family. "I've been helping Josef with his schooling just a little bit but it going slowly as it's taking him a long time to start coming out of his shell. He was so scared when I first met him so it's amazing and humbling to see him starting to trust me like this."

"B-but Kagome," Ryu stuttered, "how do you know this is safe? Besides, didn't you say these two live within youkai territory?"

She shrugged. "To put it simply I don't; there's no way I can guarantee my safety in this kind of endeavor, but neither could I guarantee that if I was working as a doctor in a family practice in an upscale neighborhood. Things happen everywhere and I just want to be where I'm most useful."

He just shook her head and she searched for the words to explain why she could feel so calm about doing such things. "I guess I just believe that if something is meant to happen it'll happen. If I'm supposed to die on a certain day then I will, regardless of whether I'm shot down by police or attacked by an angry youkai or killed in a simple traffic accident. Of course I don't believe that I have no control over my life, it's just that I want to be able to live my life passionately, with all my desire, and not hold back because of any fears I have hanging over my head. If I worried about those things then I'd never do anything worthwhile."

"So you really do believe that everything happens for a reason then, huh?"

She inclined her head in the affirmative.

"Then don't you think there was a purpose to you coming here, to meeting Inuyasha?"

Tugging at her hair slightly she shot him an exasperated look. "Of course I do. You think I could fall in love with the guy and not think there must be something special about it? It's just…well, it comes down to I don't know _what_ reasoning there was to have us meet. My life has changed in so many ways that it could have been even for just a single one of those changes. I'd like to hope it was so his life would change as well but I still don't have any idea if he'll ever accept me or my help."

"Kagome," Ryu interceded, "you have to know you've changed him."

"Yeah, it's just the question of whether it was a change for the better or worse." She waved away any reply he would have made. "Anyway…" Trailing off her eyes slowly widened in realization. "How could I have been so blind, why didn't I see it until now?" she mumbled softly to herself before turning to beam up across the table at him. "See? This is why I like talking to you."

He just stared at her, completely at a loss. "What are you talking about?"

"I've been focusing solely on Inuyasha instead of all the other parts of my life, all the other things that have changed as a result of meeting him."

"Meaning…?"

"Inuyasha isn't the only one I want to help. Of course he's the one I want to help the most right now, stubborn soul that he is, but I want to do all I can for Josef as well, and all the other hanyou I haven't met yet too. What if that's the most important thing to come out of our meeting and I completely bypass it because I'm too busy worrying about my relationship with Inuyasha?"

"Does this mean you're going to…stop worrying about him?" He didn't like what that could imply.

"Of course not. I doubt I could even if I really tried. I just don't want it to take all of my energy and take over my life. My worrying won't make him come to a decision about me any sooner so I may as well just bide my time and let my frustration fuel my other endeavors."

"What other endeavors?" At this point she'd completely lost him. He wondered if he'd really even been part of this conversation.

"These endeavors." She took an envelope from inside her purse and slapped it into his palm. "Here, will you mail this for me?"

He stared blankly at the letter in his hand. "And this is?"

"My admission letter to law school." She'd taken to carrying the thing with her everywhere ever since she'd gotten it from Dr. Hirohito. She had gone back and forth on her decision so many times she never knew when her resolution might strengthen to either destroy the letter or send it off. She wanted to help Josef, she really desperately did, and she'd finally come to accept that, while she'd be of some help as a doctor, she'd be able to do more in another way. It would be of much greater service to him, and other hanyou in the same predicament, to aid his lot in life by coming to understand the laws as they pertained to him.

If a lawyer could sway the difference between an innocent or guilty verdict just by citing precedence then just her basic knowledge could possibly find a way around a hanyou's legal position in life. Well, at least she hoped. Yet now with her decision made it seemed nonsensical how she'd been afraid of going forward with it. There was so much that could possibly be gained just by having an elementary understanding of a hanyou's legal resource. If it did come to naught then she'd just postponed becoming a doctor for a couple years in effort of chasing a good cause, so no big deal. Besides, she could always still study with Professor Hirohito on the side and take up Houjo's offer of tutoring. Maybe he'd even let her help out in his family's clinic.

Her mood lightened tremendously with the decision and she felt as if a literal weight had been pulled from her shoulders. She sat up straighter and sighed with glee and relief, her happiness marked by the time as the clock had just struck the hour. Swiping up her bags with enthusiasm she sent Ryu a grateful look as he simultaneously began putting his things away.

"Thanks again for the talk. You have no idea how good it is to be able to tell these things to someone who understands all sides involved. Sorry for taking up your dinnertime with my ramblings."

Ryu gathered the few accounting books he needed to take with him and headed for the door as she all but pranced beside him in impatient anticipation. "Go on then, get. There's no need for the two of us to put on a show for anyone who might be watching."

After a quick glance around she bent over slightly and kissed his cheek. "You really are a great guy, you know that? Inuyasha's lucky to have you watching out for him."

He blustered and waved her on so with a giddy lilt in her step she raced off for Inuyasha's room, eager to see him again and get him his breakfast.

* * *

They'd tried to do better with rationing their food that time, they really had, but it was inevitable that all the physical exertion would make them hungry. They'd even thought to try to tone down what they'd done, hoping they wouldn't burn as many calories so Kagome wouldn't have to leave, but there was only so much control they had over themselves.

Plus there had been the time when she'd been trying to talk to him when he was in a surly mood; he'd told her talking made him hungrier than anything else so they couldn't have a real discussion until he had food in front of him again. Kagome hadn't said anything, only sending him a dirty look, before leisurely getting out of the bed and putting on her clothes. When he realized she meant to leave him that moment to go get food he rushed out a clumsy retraction of his earlier statement, going so far to say that he was willing to bear such hunger in order to be able to talk to _her._

Still it had only been two days, a _measly_ amount of time when Kagome thought she'd stuffed half the restaurant into those food bags she'd brought, but Inuyasha's appetite was apparently insatiable so there she was again, on her way out to go get food. The only difference this time was that she was leaving during the night and just heading to the Shrine cafeteria; she didn't want to have to spend an entire day away from him in town with nothing to do. She wasn't sure if she was surprised or not with how readily he had agreed.

Being hungry had made him more than irritable so he griped at her as she headed out the door that she wasn't to take too long. She rolled her eyes but made a mental note to not test his patience too far; after all, despite his mood she was stuck in a room with him for another week.

It had been an uneventful trip, despite feelings slightly awkward in the room she had first gone to in order to catch a glimpse of the tetsudai, the first place she saw Inuyasha, and the first place she'd felt ogled to the point of being diminished to a piece of meat. Not much attention was paid to her this time around and it was a bit surreal to be almost non-existent in the presence of so many people when she spent as much time in the Shrine as she did.

Still, she appreciated the ease with which she was able to get in and out quickly. The cafeteria wasn't made for catering and didn't have to-go boxes, so she had to manage with the eat-in trays, carefully balancing them on top of each other and piling the top one with as much food as she could feasibly manage to carry. As such, her arms appreciated the idea of being able to unload the food in the room sooner rather than later.

Of course, no sooner did she think that than she turned a corner down the hall and ran into Kouga, his bright blooming smile letting her know there was no way he intended to let her just slink by.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here." His voice lowered, his smile becoming just a bit more predatory. "Long time no see, Kagome." With one swift, deft movement he snatched the food trays away from her, placing them on the floor in a blur she could barely see, before her hands were clasped firmly in his.

"Kouga, what are you doing? I've got to get back..."

"C'mon, can't you spare some time for an old friend?" She found herself unintentionally softening toward him. Time had softened the awkwardness between them and she could remember the gentle camaraderie they'd shared, how he'd been her friend when shuffling between all the other faceless, emotionless tetsudai.

Glancing down the hall toward Inuyasha's room she finally relented. "All right, but just a minute, okay?"

* * *

Inuyasha began to pace restlessly around the room. What on earth was keeping the wench? It couldn't be that hard to get food, could it, even with her propensity for trouble and for being overly-talkative.

He growled softly to himself. No, she should be more sensible than that. He'd told her to come back quickly since he was hungry after all the work _she_ was making him do. She must appreciate that, right? So what could be keeping her?

With a muttered curse he stalked out of the room, closing his door quietly behind him so as not to alert anyone taking too much interest that he was leaving his quarters. There was no way he'd be able to get any rest if he spent all his time worrying about her so, damn it, she had better have a good reason for taking so long.

He came to a complete halt when he rounded the second corner and saw her not two meters in front of him, talking to that fucking _wolf_.

All but snarling he grabbed Kagome's arm, placing himself between the two of them. "What's the problem Kouga, can't get your own clients so trying to get your claws in on mine?"

Kouga shot him a haughty look. "When I smelled you on her I figured it you were just a charity case; there's no way she'd honestly _choose_ to spend her time with a half-breed."

Kagome opened her mouth to speak but Inuyasha's grip tightened, cutting her off. "That's up to her so you just keep your fucking hands off."

"Oh, but I've already had my hands on. Honestly I'm surprised that after being with me she could be satisfied running around with someone so substandard."

Inuyasha instantly whirled and stared at Kagome with wide eyes. "You...with him...?"

"I still haven't given up on getting her to marry me," Kouga interjected. "Just so you know.

"Marriage?" Inuyasha spluttered, pinning Kagome with his gaze. "You're thinking about marrying this bastard?"

"No!" she cried, trying unsuccessfully to free her wrist from Inuyasha's grip. "He asked me a year ago and I turned him down! If I was thinking of marrying him then I'd have come here to see him, not you."

Kouga couldn't resist putting in his own two-cents. "You managed to run into me anyhow so you must be thinking about me."

"That was an accident!" she declared to the hall at large. "Besides, you're my friend," she turned to direct her words at Kouga over Inuyasha's shoulder. "It's not like I'm going to ignore you - but neither am I going to marry you." Still speaking to Kouga she caught Inuyasha's eyes directly to try to get her sincerity through to him.

"Keh." A slight satisfied smile on his face Inuyasha whirled to face his adversary. "You heard the woman; she's not interested so lay off." Not giving Kouga a chance to respond he quickly swiped up the food and tugged Kagome rapidly down the hall, the sound of the door slamming behind them reverberating in the space.

Kagome was at a loss with how to react in the situation. A large part of her wanted to yell at him for the way he'd treated Kouga and herself, then part was frustrated that he would even think she was considering marrying the ookami-youkai. It was a blatant, in-her-face sign of how little trust he placed in her commitment to him.

At the same time though his possessiveness, while annoying, spoke volumes about what he wasn't telling her. As long as she wasn't merely the prize in a pissing contest between the two then she could assume that he appreciated her coming around more than he'd let on during her first week there and a small, soft smile lit her face.

Completely caught up in her musings she missed the scowl still plastered on Inuyasha's face. Not knowing how to - or even if he _wanted_ to voice any more of his anger on her he balled up all his aggression into one movement and deliberately prowled toward her, crowding her against the wall. Her mind going pleasantly blank she no longer needed to worry about which reaction to act out on as his next move made her forget everything that wasn't the two of them in that moment, in that room.

* * *

They'd had a fight the next night when Kagome had tried to leave to go get more food from the cafeteria. Ever since coming back the night prior Inuyasha had been physically crowding her, needing to have constant contact with her. If she sat then so did he, making sure his shoulder brushed against hers. If she sat next to the bed while he was in it then he played with her hair or ran his fingers across her neck. If she moved more than a step away from the bed then he was right there, following her. It was a nice change, even if a strange one. Being in the same room continually they normally didn't touch that much outside of foreplay or sex since he had always seemed strangely uncomfortable with it. The switch had seemed utterly random to her and she'd been confused by it until he'd stood in front of the door, blocking her way.

"You're not going out there where that wolf will try to get his hands on you again. I don't want you coming back covered in his stink."

She'd been taken aback. "What on earth do you take me for?"

"Then again, maybe you won't even come back."

She'd had to put serious restraint into keeping herself from slapping him. "Move out of the way, Inuyasha, I'm hungry."

"What, can't wait to get back to your full-blooded lover so you're grasping for any excuse?"

Stomping her foot on the ground she let out a muffled scream. "Of all the – what do you mean, excuse? We had our fill of food yesterday but the last time we ate before that was a couple days ago so you can't say that you're not hungry either. Besides, why are you going on about Kouga? He's not my lover, as you well know; if anyone had the job it'd be you but you refuse to take it!" Suddenly a light went off. "Wait a minute…you're acting _jealous!_" She nearly laughed out loud at the discovery.

"Jealous of that wimpy wolf? You gotta be kidding me. His smell alone is enough to make someone pass out."

Still, she couldn't help gloating. "You _are _jealous." She smiled cheekily up into his face as she poked him in the stomach.

Inuyasha had decided that was the end of that discussion and proceeded to show her very clearly why he had no reason to be jealous of anything.

So the following night Kagome had thought all was resolved when she went to leave, only to find herself very, very mistaken.

"What is it this time? Didn't we cover all this already?"

He looked away, crossing his arms. "I told ya, I ain't letting you go out there so that damned wolf can sniff all over you."

Walking up to him she knocked on his head. "When are you going to get it through your thick skull that there's nothing to worry about? I'm not interested in Kouga like that."

"You sure seemed comfortable enough with him when I saw you."

"Why don't you come with me then, if you think I'm so incapable of controlling myself around him," she sniped.

"I don't want to go out there, especially not to see you following his tail."

She sighed heavily and wrapped her arms around him, raising his suspicions about what she had planned. "Inuyasha, I'm tired and I'm hungry. Being part youkai you might be able to go longer without food but I can't, not unless you want me to just sleep the rest of my time here in a comatose state."

She elbowed him lightly when he didn't respond to that. "Look, you remember when I was here last year, right?"

"Course stupid wench," he said, finally sliding his arms around her waist in return.

"Well then, don't you remember what happened after I stopped seeing you and had to see other tetsudai? I freaked out because it made me feel dirty and I couldn't stand doing that with someone other than you." Catching his eye with hers she continued, "That hasn't changed, by the way."

He softened for a moment before hardening again. "You sure seemed pretty friendly with him for someone who made you feel dirty," he accused, feeling he'd caught her in her lie.

"I didn't have quite the same problem with all of them…" she hedged, hoping he wouldn't press her too hard. Of course, she should have known better.

"I've felt filthy in every way possible and there's no way I could ever be 'friendly' with any of those bastards involved. So either you've got a really fucked up definition of dirty or there's something weird going on."

She winced and buried her face in his chest. It was such a small thing really, a relatively small embarrassment, but it had been so hard to share it with him. Still, in the face of his revelation she realized it had been rather silly and small of her to hide it and leave him guessing. Maybe she'd been hoping he'd just trust her, but then again she hadn't counted on Kouga being quite so chummy either.

"It's not like I could hide anything from you though. With that nose you'd know in an instant if I'd been with Kouga, or anyone else for that matter."

In a sudden show of vehemence he released her and punched the wall next to him soundly, leaving a hollow ringing in her ears. "You don't get it, do you?" Spinning back to her his eyes shone with rage and a multitude of other things she couldn't name in the moment. "It doesn't _matter _if I know. You're the client and I'm the fucking tetsudai; you could go out there, fuck a dozen guys, come back to flaunt it in my face, and I couldn't do nothing! You can do whatever you want out there," he threw his arm wide to encompass everything outside his door, "and I can't do a damn, bleeding thing about it."

Her heart broke in that instant as she walked over to him and cupped his face in her hands. "Inuyasha, don't you know me by now? Do you really think I'd do that?"

He didn't, but how could he explain to her that no one could really exist the way he'd built her up in his mind? If he gave his trust and she slipped up once he could get burned fully enough that he wouldn't recover and it wasn't something he was willing to just throw himself into. He was sorry to see that his lack of response saddened her but what could he have said?

"Don't you remember how I said we don't have to do anything you don't want to?"

"Yeah, but you also said the one thing I couldn't do was kick you out. I couldn't stand you being here, in _my _room, smelling of someone else."

"But I wouldn't do that!" she countered.

"Besides," he continued as if she hadn't spoken, "you could change your mind at any time and I would have no say in it. I know you're trying to playact like I've got more freedom here with you than normal but the reality is that I don't – I just don't. I know you try but you can't change the Shrine and you can't change the world."

He'd expected her to duck her head, to be crushed by his shattering the last bit of hope for him she could foster in her naïveté, so he was unprepared when she glared at him, every bit as pissed as he'd been earlier.

"Don't you ever say anything like that to me ever again. People are the ones who change the world and if there is someone who can change it for the worse then I can certainly change it for the better. I can't force you to accept me or my offers but there are plenty of other things I can do."

He looked at her questioningly and she realized she'd revealed too much, that with some digging he might uncover her outside affairs. To counteract him she quickly spilled the more relative secret she'd been holding onto.

"I did see Kouga a few times last year."

Inuyasha tensed up again immediately.

"It was awkward but not as bad as the others. He was friendly enough but there was just something…_weird_ about the whole thing that I couldn't put my finger on. It was a couple days in when I realized he reminded me of someone. That's when I gave up on the whole thing and came back to you, even though I wasn't supposed to."

She tacked the last phrase on in a last ditch attempt to distract him from the one thing she hadn't revealed. She hadn't really expected it to work and sure enough it hadn't.

"Just who did Kouga remind you of?"

Kagome's face crinkled up as she forced herself to spit out the words. "My brother."

He started to shake and she stared at him in astonishment. He was laughing…at _her._ She swatted at him, embarrassed. "You put up all this fuss, drag the information from me when it doesn't even really matter, and you have the audacity to laugh at me?"

Her words only made him chuckle harder and before long he was holding his stomach. "The wolf…your _brother_," he choked out, slapping his knee.

She tried to be in a huff but it was just too unusual to see him laughing so freely, and a great change from his sour attitude of the last couple days, so after a moment she joined him in the ridiculousness of the whole situation.

"Yeah, yeah, real funny. So _now _can I go get us some food?"

"…Brother…" He snickered again.

"Inuyasha!" she called directly into his face, trying to drag back his attention. "Food!"

"Fine, go to the cafeteria. Maybe you'll get the chance to see your brother-wannabe."

She sighed. "It's going to be a while before you drop this, isn't it?" He nodded and she chuckled, shaking her head in resignation.

"I'm off then. Try not to pout too much while I'm gone."

"I don't pout." Crossing his arms he glowered at her.

"Right, of course, my mistake." Then with a wink and a laugh she was out the door.

Standing in the doorway Inuyasha called after her. "Make sure you load us up, I'm starved."

She spun back, set to make a retort of some sort, but with a smirk he shut the door before she could get out a single word. Tempted to go back after him to finish the argument she decided against it. Now that the mood had lifted and they were back to harassing and teasing each other she knew there was no way she'd get to leave again that night. So with a smile on her lips she turned back around and headed down the hall.

* * *

The time had gone all too fast in Kagome's opinion. Granted, when she thought about all the problems they'd had throughout her stay it certainly seemed like plenty had happened in just under two weeks, but then again they had been making up for a whole year of missed communication. Still, her departure date was fast approaching and now Inuyasha was going to be spending part of her second to last day next door.

The sun rose to find him heading out the door to go see the healers for his weekly check up. Kagome lounged in the bed, flipping herself over to stare at the ceiling. The past week had been incredibly awkward and just hadn't gotten any better. She knew she was at least partly to blame; she was constantly second guessing him now and that just couldn't be good for any kind of stability. Besides, despite how he tried to pretend otherwise Inuyasha was a rather perceptive guy sometimes, understandable given his upbringing and necessary survival skills. He must have sensed her pulling back, her hesitance, and reacted likewise.

She hadn't meant to, she truly hadn't, she just wasn't able to convince herself that he actually cared about anything and that she wasn't pressuring him into accepting her. Well, she supposed that in reality she was pressuring him, but fighting against his own desires was an entirely different animal than fighting against his fears and barriers. Unfortunately she still wasn't able to tell which one it was.

Crawling out of the bed with a sudden vengeance she hit the pillow. _This is getting ridiculous! _She was moping around all because she was unsure of his mind. Well, so what? All she could do was live how she wanted and if he didn't like what she was doing then it was his responsibility to tell her to stop. With one last dignified sniff she realized that the short mental outburst had made her feel better than she had in days.

Hands on her hips she turned to survey the room and her mouth dropped as she realized it was in a shambles. Granted, they'd been living in it together for near on two weeks but she hadn't realized it had gotten that bad. She shuddered to think what the bed must be like if they hadn't bothered to change the sheets in just as long. Deciding that she had more than enough free time at the moment to remedy the mess, plus the fact that thinking about it all would probably start to disgust her just a little bit, she quickly set to work. First things first, she had to find where in the tiny expanse he called a room he kept spare sheets. She knew he had them because he'd mentioned offhandedly before how he didn't really get housekeeping, though she'd gathered he was too embarrassed at having to clean up after himself to ever do it while she was in the room with him.

Still, looking around, she tried to figure out where he could have the sheets stashed. Aside from the bed there was only the closet and the small cabinet next to the drain in the corner that she'd already rifled through previously. Curiosity piqued she decided to start under the bed. She'd never actually thought about whether there could be any room down there for storage but it certainly made sense. Pulling up the bedding she was astonished at the mish-mash of stuff shoved into the small space. Cringing at the possibility of trying to wriggle anything free to see if she could find sheets somewhere in the jumble she decided that she certainly didn't want to attempt it if she didn't have to.

Turning around she switched her aim to the closet, hoping it was at least somewhat less packed. Opening the door she sighed at seeing it was improved to the point of being sparse. It had a very large hamper and an assorted collection of 'Bacana Shrine' shirts, of the variety she'd had to wear back to her apartment after Inuyasha had shredded hers. Other than that there were some other assorted odds and ends but not much. Given the obvious state of the few things he was given to use on a continual basis she shuddered to think what was stashed under the bed.

Luckily she didn't have to go searching through that since she spied a stack of what looked to be sheets tucked back in one corner of the only shelf in the closet. Tugging at the top one to verify what it was she was startled when something fell out of it and almost landed on her foot. Jumping back she looked down to see it was a packet of papers…a packet of very_ familiar_ papers.

She knelt and gingerly touched a finger to the length of twine binding them together. She never thought she'd see her letters again and was careful as she picked them back up. Despite the wear and tear on them, the dog-earing and careful tags, they were obviously well taken care of. She didn't untie them, not wanting to mess with what Inuyasha had done, but they were loose enough that she could shuffle through and saw that they were even in chronological order.

The implications made her stagger. Even though he had never outright said anything, he had always led her to believe that either he'd never received the letters or just didn't find them worth the trouble to reply to. The evidence in front of her though screamed the opposite and she wondered what it was that had held him back instead. She was amazed at the care he must have used to read her letters so thoroughly and yet keep them in such good condition. Making a mental note she realized that if he continued she'd have to start using something higher quality than the flimsy rice paper she'd been writing on.

Yet if that was all true, if he actually cared about her letters, and she felt she could safely then assume cared about herself as well, then why the distance? Why had he been so aloof lately? For that matter, why had he reacted so strongly to her mere mention of a kiss? It's not like it would be their first one, though she would have to admit that it would carry much heavier connotation now after all they'd been through. Still, he hadn't even been as harsh the first time she'd kissed him and he'd had to explain the rules to her without making her even more wary and embarrassed than she already was at her first time with a tetsudai.

She sat down as she tried to mull through it all. What if he somehow connected her trying to kiss him with her voicing her feelings for him? If he was more wary now that would make sense, since in the beginning there hadn't been all the other sentiment behind it. So was his not agreeing just a further sign of his disbelief in her, or was he again feeling backed into a corner and she was being too forceful?

She shook her head. No, with what she'd found with the letters that didn't make sense. He obviously had more attachment to her than he tried to let on, which went a great way toward soothing her worries on that front. If he held onto any mementos then he couldn't be feeling too harried by her, yet he was still going to such great lengths to hide it.

Going back to her earlier thought she wondered if his allowing her to kiss him would mean his accepting her feelings. No, that didn't quite make sense. Just like in their five-year bargain his believing her by itself wouldn't change that much in the end, he would just be admitting that yes, she did in fact have a possibly unrequited love. In that light he would likely view kissing her as cruel – though she might be inclined to agree – as it would just be a lead on.

So in the end it seemed the only way he would do so with her would be…she nearly laughed at herself in her melodrama. She couldn't be sure about it but it was the only conclusion she could come to – he would only kiss her if he had feelings of the same sort and was finally willing to admit to them, at least to himself.

She had to buckle down on the little bubble of joy that nearly burst out from her at the thought. Maybe all hope wasn't lost. After all, if he had such a strong reaction it could only be because he was fighting about it with himself.

She smiled as she stood to put the letters back where she found them. Of course she knew it wasn't as simple as that, since his admitting to his own desires wouldn't necessarily change all that much either. The world was still against him and against them being together and he was still obviously paying more heed to that than she was so she could see him fighting against it to the bitter end.

Still, as long as she no longer had to worry that he wasn't truly receptive to her – she thumped the letters in her hand once more just for good measure – then she could wait as long as it took.

Pulling the sheets aside she carefully slid the packet back into its spot between the cloth and the closet wall then started to close the door before she remembered her original intention for going through his closet in the first place. Re-opening the door she got a waft of the slightly musky smell that must come from having the door constantly closed, not to mention that despite the fact that the hamper was empty it must have left some lingering, residual smell in the cheap plywood.

At the thought she froze and instantly realized her mistake. She had just handled her letters, for a good deal of time no less, so there was no way she could hide from his nose that she had found him out. Starting to panic she quickly looked around the room, wondering what she could do to try to cover up such a gaff. A glance at the clock told her she probably didn't have much more time before Inuyasha came back from his testing so she had to come up with something fast.

The only thing she thought of certainly wasn't brilliant but she'd be able to keep herself busy and if anything else better came to her…well at least she'd be productive in the meantime. Starting in the closet she ran her hands over every available surface she could get to, from hangars to shirts to sheets, even the rim of the hamper. She didn't know precisely how Inuyasha's sense of smell worked so she could only hope he wouldn't be able to delineate any specific scent trail and that instead it would seem like her time in his room had managed to make her own scent permeate everything inside, including the letters.

Not wanting to let him even know that she'd been in his closet, let alone anywhere near the letters, she left the dirty sheets on the bed and focused on the rest of the room. Slowly she made her way past the door to the next corner, opening the small cabinet by the grate, taking out and refolding each of the small rags, moving on to anything else she could find in the race against time.

Inuyasha walked in to find Kagome rubbing her hands against the wall, though as soon as she heard the door open she turned and guiltily lowered them behind her back.

"What are you doing?" he asked incredulously.

She waved her hands airily. "Oh nothing," she replied instantly, her voice just a little too high. "Just cleaning a spot on the wall, that's all. I had to find something to do with you gone."

If anything that only caused his eyes to narrow in suspicion so she quickly sought to distract him. "What is that you're carrying?"

"Your blood," he said, amused at the look that crossed her face, a mixture of disgust and excitement. He walked toward her and set the cooler at her feet. "I didn't know exactly how much you wanted so I just had them draw a decent amount."

Immediately wary she opened the cooler and paled at the amount of blood she saw inside. "You idiot! How could you let them draw so much? And all this on top of whatever they took to do the testing with?"

He shrugged off her concern. "That's nothing." She paled further at the thought that such blood loss to him was insignificant. Still, she knew he wouldn't like the fact being pointed out so she moved on to her next question.

"But I'm here until morning still…why have it in the cooler already? Wouldn't the medics' refrigerator be more suitable?"

"Ah, that," he pulled idly on his bangs, keeping his eyes averted. "There wasn't enough room in the fridge for all of it. Besides, this is all packed up for your _traveling convenience_," he sent her a smirk as he went into a 'professional' tone of voice, "so you're all set." He saw her churning it over in her mind but to his great relief she only nodded. Either she bought the story completely or, if she did see through to the fact that no one had wanted his dirty hanyou blood mixed in with the other specimens, then she had the tact to not comment on it.

Closing the lid she walked until she was directly in front of him and grabbed his wrists, her face pensive. "You sure you're alright with this - with giving me all of this to use?"

"Don't matter," he said gruffly. "All the other clients got their share of my blood to play with so why not you?" She winced at his lumping her together with all the other customers but held her peace. "Besides, you're not using it just for the hell of it and are just trying to learn stuff from it, right?"

She nodded.

"Then there's no problem."

"You sure you don't mind?"

"Yeah, I'm sure." He was starting to sound exasperated so Kagome finally gave up the fight against her conscience.

But still..."It's not too much blood? You'd have to be severely anemic at this point! You're not going to collapse on me now, are you?"

He smirked as he pulled her to him. "Don't worry, I got plenty of energy for your last night."

She squealed, ducking under his arm, only to laugh as he caught her around the middle and launched her onto the bed, following quickly after.

* * *

**A/N: **Yes, I'm alive - surprising, I know. For those still following: thanks for your patience. I don't even want to look up how long it's been since my last update. Urk

I've had a few reviews now stating people have found errors in the fic. If you feel like it point 'em out – it drives me batty knowing I have problems dangling out there. Other than that I'm thrilled you still enjoyed the story despite the problems

Oh yes, and as one person asked, I'm now expecting the story to be about 25 chapters long, unless I decide to add the optional extra bit to the ending that'll be another couple chapters.

Again, much thanks to Akihana for going over this chapter a couple times, especially as I got her during finals.


	19. Addition

Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler

* * *

**Chapter 19: Addition  
**-a component that is added to something to improve it  
-joining  
-increase, enlargement; increment; accession, supplement

* * *

Kagome sat with her head against the window of the train where it rumbled slightly as they passed over the rail connections. She still couldn't completely wrap her mind around the fact that she'd dropped the transfer papers in the mail and soon she'd be going to law school. Goodness, that meant she needed to get books, preferably go meet her counselor soon, and start reading as soon as she could about all the basics. There was so much about even the rudimentary facts that she didn't understand, and she thought she'd be going into the grey area between ningen and youkai?

She sighed. This was certainly going to be a challenge. Plus, being almost a month into summer break she only had about two weeks left in which to do it all. At least that would keep her mind occupied so she wouldn't be constantly thinking about Inuyasha and his ridiculous 'come-here/go-away' attitude.

Looking out the window she shook her head. It still amazed her how society could have advanced so far as to create the infrastructures she saw around her yet still tolerate and even promote blatant racism in their midst. It just didn't make sense to her. She supposed a lot of it was just due to ignorance, as it had been in her case; after all, if people didn't know about a situation they couldn't do anything to remedy it. Did that mean she had to make public the plight of the hanyou? She winced at the prospect. It might eventually come to that, but what would that mean for Inuyasha, Josef, and so many others? If this became a full-fledged social reform would it be just like every other in history, with the first ones involved being crushed before anything could change? How could she ask that of them?

_No, Kagome, just stop, breathe. Don't get ahead of yourself - that's years off, if it comes in our lifetime at all. Just one step at a time, that's all you can do._

She just hoped it would be enough.

* * *

Kagome made her way straight from the train station to Dr. Hirohito's lab, which was quite exhausting considering she was carrying not only her backpack full of everything she'd been traveling with but also the ice chest full of Inuyasha's blood. She'd felt a bit odd transporting blood on a public train and had been a bit paranoid about any curious looks from other passengers but luckily the chest looked normal enough and it didn't seem anyone had guessed at its contents.

With a large exhale she pushed open the doctor's door, glad she'd had the foresight to call him in advance to make sure he'd be in the lab when she arrived. To her surprise he met her at the entrance, taking the cooler from her hands. He must have been more excited than she'd thought.

As soon as he opened the cooler he started to gibber animatedly, though Kagome was unable to distinguish any words at first. "By all that's holy...this is a tremendous amount! Much more than I expected..." He trailed off as he began sorting through the assorted vials and pints at his workplace.

"Uh, professor?"

He was too busy pulling out equipment to bother answering her.

"_Doctor,_" she intoned the word with some emphasis to try to grab his attention, "what are you going to do first? When are you going to know anything?"

"Hard to tell, girl, only time will show," he said distractedly. "First, of course, I must do some comparative analysis." He said this more to himself as he began routing through his own medical supply refrigerator and came out with some other blood samples. "Then there will be testing compatibility with other substances, checking strengths, weaknesses, what it's resistant to..."

He stopped speaking and Kagome knew she'd lost him; he wouldn't hear anything else she said. Bemused she shook her head and went to the door, saying a soft goodbye as she left despite knowing she wouldn't get a response. She was just glad they'd taken one tiny step toward understanding more about hanyou, possibly toward establishing them as sentient, equal beings of their own right. She knew there were risks, which was why she was glad she had Dr. Hirohito on her side. Despite the possibility he might have to postpone announcing any new discoveries he made, she knew he wouldn't put his pride above the safety of the hanyou he was currently studying.

She was utterly grateful she had found an ally in him. When she went to her new law school in mere days she'd have to see then what sorts of allies and information she might be able to find there.

* * *

Glancing down at the papers in her hand she compared the name to the one next to the door. Sure enough, they were the same: Yamizaki, JD. There were other acronyms, accolades, and abbreviations on the letterhead in her hand but she didn't have the slightest idea what any of them meant, which only served to make them more intimidating. The hall was cold, there was nothing to soften up the place, and the door was closed. Wasn't her counselor supposed to be expecting her? What if she was here at the wrong time and she was gone or was on the phone or in a meeting? Cautiously trying to press her ear to the door without making a sound she listened for voices inside. Of course, because fate loved to mock her, that was the exact moment the door opened.

"Higurashi?" the stern looking lady intoned. For a moment she was at a loss. The woman wore a severe dress, glasses perched on the very tip of her nose, and her hair was pulled back in a bun, so that when all combined she had every appearance of Kagome's idea of the perfect librarian. Still, she didn't think a librarian would ever talk in such a loud voice, even if the tone was no-nonsense. The look the woman was giving her though bore an uncanny resemblance to the suspicious glances she got from the workers in the library near the Shrine anytime she made too much noise or reached for a dusty tome no one else had touched in years.

Flustered Kagome stepped back, smoothing down her clothes with her free hand. "Ye-Yes, ma'am. Am I here at the wrong time?"

The woman looked at the clock. "You are two minutes late."

It was on the tip of her tongue to say that she'd been in the hall for longer than that but realized she'd only be making herself look more foolish. "My apologies. It won't happen again."

With an approving nod the older woman spun on her heel back into the office. "See that it doesn't."

Kagome followed her inside meekly, feeling utterly and completely out of place. Why had she done this transfer again? Ah yes, freedom and equality and all that.

Sitting behind her desk she motioned for Kagome to take the straight-backed chair across from her. Although the professor's chair looked a great deal more comfortable she still sat in it as though she had a ruler strapped to her back. "You may call me Professor Yamizaki while you are here in my school. Not Mrs. Yamizaki, not Ms. Yamizaki, _professor - _do I make myself clear?"

Wide eyed, Kagome nodded. "I have worked very hard to get where I am and expect to be treated with the respect I have earned just as I will treat you with the respect you deserve in return."

Kagome repressed the urge to sink into the chair. Maybe it was a good thing it wasn't too thickly cushioned after all or she might be tempted to fall into the creases.

"I got a letter from Dr. Hirohito asking me to take you under my wing while you are in my school. I will let you know that I would not do this for just anyone, but then Dr. Hirohito wouldn't ask favors for just anyone either. I would not have advised you in anything had you not decided to make the transfer and show me you are willing to put in a tremendous amount of work, so be thankful that you did so, even at so late a date. I am one of the foremost minds in Tokyo on reading legal script and finding the intricacies to work through in the wording so that is an advantage to our little 'situation.'"

She gaped, open mouthed. She hadn't expected Dr. Hirohito to say anything to this law-lady about anything - he'd said he'd keep it a secret and she'd trusted him. "He told you about this 'situation'?"

"Oh close your mouth girl, it's not that surprising. Do you honestly think I would agree to take time from my studies, my curriculum-planning, my research, and my work just to work with some wet-behind-the-ears, last-minute transfer otherwise? No, the good doctor knew he had to explain the situation to me in order to get me to go along with his little idea and, after all, I am a seasoned lawyer so I am well-versed in keeping confidentialities. You needn't worry about me telling anyone else about what you are doing research on - that is entirely at your discretion."

Kagome was a bit skeptical but supposed if Dr. Hirohito trusted her that she should as well. Besides, she had no other option at this point as _Professor _Yamizaki was already in the know. "I see," was all she could say, even though she really didn't yet.

"Honestly he had me intrigued. An entire area of law that has been bypassed, whether through careful misdirection, simple ignorance, or lack of need, I can't be sure yet. That will depend on what we can find that does apply to hanyou or what loopholes are left open to them. The most important thing though will be speed and the skill with which we can read and redirect the laws already on the books. Nothing is as strong as legal court precedents, so the sooner you can get a judge to rule in your favor the harder it will be for someone to come later and use the same or another law against hanyou in the same manner. Does this make sense to you?" She eyed Kagome skeptically. "Please tell me you have at least that much rudimentary knowledge."

"Yes, of course." Inwardly Kagome sighed with relief. It was a good thing she'd already spent the last week catching up on her government and law studies. Of course she'd first heard about legal precedent in government class in, what was that, 9th grade? 10th grade? Somewhere around there anyhow. If a court interprets and applies a law in a specific way during a case then anyone who comes after can hold up that case as an example for using that law the same way, or on the flip side, for not using the law in a different way. So the professor was certainly right; if they found anything that could possibly pertain to hanyou and found a judge to rule in a hanyou's favor based on that law then it would open the way for hanyou legal rights.

"Good." She gave Kagome a satisfactory nod. "Now let me make certain you understand this will be purely theoretical on my part. I am happy to delve into the intricacies of code and explore new, uncharted possibilities. I will help you logically and soundly make your way through any blockade you come up against - but..." Trailing off to give significance to her words she made sure she had Kagome's full and undivided attention. "...But that is where my participation ends. I do not plan to be an activist in this area and will not be joining you in anything you are doing, whether on the streets or in the court room. My role here is purely as an adviser, and I will admit that it is mostly because you have me perplexed about such an underdeveloped and undefined area of my own field."

Her business settled, _Professor _Yamizaki folded her hands and placed them on the desk, sat back in her chair, and did something to her face that Kagome supposed was her attempt at friendly openness. _For the record, she misses the mark,_ Kagome thought sourly. It didn't do a thing to make her appear any less ruthless or intimidating.

"Now, do you have any questions for me yet or would you merely like to expound upon your reasons for doing such research and what we should be looking for?"

Kagome shook her head to try to clear it. Even if the professor was stern she was still offering help, and if this was any indication then she'd have to be on her mental top game every time they had a meeting together. No use fogging it up now with surprise. "Do you know of any records on the books that specifically mention hanyou, or any court cases where a hanyou has been directly involved?"

"There are no laws to my knowledge, though I may search some of our older histories for comparisons. Did you know that it is technically still illegal to give sake to your water buffalo, though in the same law it states it is perfectly acceptable to give some to a duck?"

Kagome had to choke back a chortle and settled for shaking her head in bemusement.

"There are many laws we have that are no longer enforced; either the need for said law lapsed or the general consensus on the idea changed and the government just never bothered to go through the whole process to repeal it. There very well may be something along those lines that may be useful to us but I won't know until we go through every last one. As for your second question, how would you define a hanyou's direct involvement? You know it's nearly impossible that one was a plaintiff or defendant since, as far as I know, they've never been treated as an equal part of society. If there is anything along those lines though it would make things much easier for us as it would be automatic, irrefutable proof that hanyou did once have rights and may only be stripped of them now because no one is demanding them."

"I'm not entirely positive, actually." She nearly winced as the professor's eyes landed a stern gaze on her but she held her ground. "I mean that there is any number of types of cases so it's impossible to define each and every possible way a hanyou could be involved." Suddenly she came upon an idea. "What about divorce though?"

"Divorce?" the professor repeated skeptically.

"Yes. What if a youkai had married a human but only separated after they had a child? I'm sure bringing a hanyou into the family could have the potential to destroy the balance - so what would happen in such a case when deciding such things as custody and alimony? Or what if one had an affair and a hanyou child was the result, would that be grounds for divorce with extra compensation? If so then the court would have just unintentionally treated that hanyou child like any normal youkai or human child."

Professor Yamizaki smiled and the gesture lit up her face, even if to Kagome it only made the older lady seem all the more crafty. "Now that is what I'm talking about girl, that's thinking. If the judge ordered extra money settled on the injured party because of a child made through infidelity then that does open a wide door for us. After all, the court wouldn't do the same if the couple had an affair and adopted a dog together. Interesting points you bring up."

The professor tapped her chin. "Well don't just sit there dawdling, child, get moving. You have a class to be getting to and I have my work cut out for me."

Standing swiftly Kagome smiled back. She could see already that any interaction between them would be staid and straight to the point but she appreciated every new ally she could get. At first she'd been startled by Professor Yamizaki's brusque demeanor but when she remembered this was about helping hanyou and not making friends she was suddenly very happy to have someone so objective and serious on their side. "Thank you very much for your time. I'll come back and visit you again soon."

"Yes, do that." Her eyes were already on her computer as she started to pull up archives. Just before Kagome closed the door behind her she called out, "Oh, and you might take an interest to introduce yourself to another student here named Sango. I think that you could benefit from knowing her."

A quick nod and Kagome glanced down at her watch, eyes growing in dismay as she realized she really was about to be late for her first class. With a swift goodbye to the professor she took off down the hall, hoping she'd be able to navigate the maze of corridors on her first day.

* * *

It had been less than a month and already Inuyasha had received four letters from her. She's said she'd write every week and by now he knew not to doubt her dogged determination or stubbornness. If she really held on like this he shuddered to think what she'd do when she saw him next year if he didn't make any sort of reply.

So grousing all the while, muttering non-committal insults under his breath about overbearing wenches, he laid out the pen and paper he'd managed to con off Ryu. He'd tried at first to get the supplies from him without actually explaining why he needed them but after he had realized he'd need the middle-aged man to be his gopher in order to get the letters to the mail, he finally acceded. His glare had cut off any reply Ryu might have made but he still caught his sniggering as he made his way back to his room. Fine, let the man have his fun, just so long as he didn't say anything to anyone else and he was able to keep Kagome off his back. After all, he only saw her two weeks a year. He really didn't need to waste any of that time just because she was upset over it or because she kept nagging him until his annoyance ran over and they ended up fighting. Of course the making up was usually rather fun...it just quite often took them too long to get to the making up in the first place since they were both too stubborn to give in - even when the wench knew she was wrong.

"Keh!" he exclaimed snidely to the room at large. Lifting his hand to write he glared at the waiting, blank paper. What on earth was he supposed to write about? It's not like his life changed that much day to day. _Yeah, had another crappy night with ole 'what's-her-name' - she likes to come about every three weeks to 'release some frustration.' She says it keeps her spleen clear. Keh, if that's the problem why doesn't she just learn to eat right? Sounds stupid to me but hey, what's she care what the hanyou whipping post thinks? Don't know who I've got tonight but I'm sure it'll be just the same. Ran into Kazuma the other day. He's still as big an ass as ever, kept trying to brag about that 'juicy kiss' you two shared. I don't know if he's just an idiot - though he is either way - or if he just doesn't realize that I heard what happened and watched you nearly scrub your lips off afterward. Oh wait, I probably shouldn't have written anything about that. Hell, I shouldn't have written any of this, not like you'll enjoy reading it. Uh, Ryu says 'hi'?_

Yeah, he could just imagine what her reception would be to reading something like that. Still, that's all his life consisted of so what else did he have to write about?

In the end he settled for the straightforward and simple: _Hey, Kagome, it's me. I'm writing you back. You happy now? Inuyasha._

He hefted a large sigh of relief as he sat back. That short little blurb had taken him over an hour to write. He didn't know what he'd do if she expected a response to every single letter. Maybe he'd be able to get by with just writing occasionally, just so long as she knew he was alive and wasn't ignoring her. Yeah, that should work. Besides, it wasn't like he expected any of his correspondence to be any more detailed than what he'd already written, so he supposed that'd have to be alright.

With a grunt he saw it was almost time for his next appointment - not enough for him to sneak the letter out to Ryu. He already knew the only viably safe hiding spot in his room so he opened the closet door and pulled the sheets aside, tucking his letter down with all of Kagome's. He'd have to find a way to get to Ryu tomorrow.

* * *

Sango, as it turned out, was a stand-offish second year student, as she discovered by asking around. That, coupled with the fact that she hadn't been given Sango's last name or any other pertinent information about her, was why it had taken Kagome so long to track her down. So it was a complete surprise when partway into the school year she heard one of her professors call on a student to answer a particularly difficult scenario. At the name 'Sango' she twisted in her seat to stare in amazement at the girl who had sat not two rows behind her the whole time. She had appeared very serious and somber and it had taken Kagome some steeling up of her nerves to approach the student when she didn't even know why she should be. Besides, if the Professor had been insinuating that she could gain some helpful information from Sango then the last thing she wanted to do was scare her off or come across as an idiot on their first meeting.

"Hi," she said, walking up to her as the older girl was packing away her books. "My name's Kagome. I take it you're Sango?"

She looked up with hesitancy, not quite suspicion, but certainly close to it. "Yes, I'm Sango. What do you want with me?"

Kagome wasn't quite sure as to her answer to that question so she hedged as best as she could. "I've been speaking about Professor Yamizaki with some things..." Sango's eyebrow went up. Apparently the good Professor had a reputation for not taking time out of her precious schedule for just anyone. "...Anyhow, she suggested that I speak with you. I assume she meant that you might be able to help me out or that I might learn some important things from you."

"What sort of things?"

"About that...I'm not exactly sure..." Kagome smiled embarrassedly, knowing how strange it must sound.

"Well that does present us with a dilemma then," Sango stated matter-of-factly. "Why don't you just tell me what you've been meeting with Professor Yamizaki about then?"

Kagome backpedalled, waving her hands slightly in front of her. "Oh, no, I can't do that."

"Why not? How am I supposed to do anything if I don't know what's going on? Don't you trust me?"

Kagome's eyes widened at the implications. "Yes! I mean, no! I mean..." She sighed. "If it were just about me then I'd tell you in a heartbeat but it's not truly my secret. I can't risk others like that, even if I normally do trust my own judgment and think you're a good person. It's just not my place."

Before she could think Sango had turned the tables on her. "Then what about my secrets?"

"Your secrets? Oh goodness, I didn't even think about that! I suppose that whatever Professor Yamizaki directed me to you for might not be common knowledge. Sorry if I seemed presumptive, I don't want to offend you or anything." She paused a moment, tapping her finger on her chin. "I guess our only option then is to take some time and get to know each other, that way we can feel each other out and see if we feel comfortable sharing our information.

"Are you sure you want to invest all that time? What happens if you tell me everything but I don't return the favor?" Sango thought she'd stumped the effervescent girl but to her surprise Kagome's answer was immediate.

"Oh, that's no big worry. I'd only tell you anything if I fully trusted you so if you didn't share anything I'd know you must have a good reason for doing so. Besides, I don't know all that many people here yet so it'd be great to have a friend - you seem like a nice person."

Sango's mouth quirked wryly at that. 'Nice' wasn't an adjective most people used to describe her. "Very well then. It's nice to meet you, I hope we get along well." She smiled as she said it and her face brightened, her entire persona changing.

Kagome was stunned. "I hope so too." Quickly recovering, she added, "Look, I have about an hour before I've got to leave for med school, so would you like to grab a bit to eat?"

"Sure, that sounds great." Picking up her bag and swinging it on her shoulder Sango led the way out of the room. "So why med school though? How on earth are you doing both programs?"

"I've done a full year toward becoming a doctor but then decided to transfer here. For the time being I'm only taking one class there but I've got a tutoring session set up for later this afternoon just to keep me fresh so I don't forget too much."

"My goodness, that sounds like a load. I have enough with just one school, I couldn't imagine two. So why'd you transfer here if you're obviously still so interested in medicine?"

Kagome merely shrugged, a clear indication to Sango that was part of the secret she wasn't sharing. Kagome, though, had her mind elsewhere. "Sorry, but I can't help wondering why you just changed so dramatically. Was it just my imagination that you were acting different in there?" With a thumb over her shoulder she indicated the classroom they were walking away from.

"If you couldn't tell, friendliness is not exactly the norm around here."

If Professor Yamizaki were any indication then Kagome had to agree.

"It's a common tactic for information digging," Sango continued. "Make friends with someone on a case to find out what secrets they know - it's still known to work, which is why all the client-privacy agreements are taken so seriously. I couldn't tell if you were trying to feel me for weaknesses or if you were merely completely unaware and about to spill your own secrets to anyone who asked. Thankfully you had more sense than that and since you don't appear to be either I can at least be courteous until I learn whether to trust you or not."

Kagome nodded. "That makes sense, though I must admit it is a bit sad."

Sango turned a piercing look on Kagome. "Thinking like that is going to prevent you from becoming a good lawyer."

It was Kagome's turn to smile wryly. "Whoever said I was going to do that?"

"Why else would anyone spend the time and money to go to law school?"

Kagome just shrugged in response, slipping her fingers across her sealed lips to indicate that was something she wouldn't speak about yet. Sango shrugged in return; there'd be time for that later if they ever got to it.

"So medical school, huh? You have any interesting teachers over there?"

Kagome smiled as she launched into story after story about Dr. Hirohito, their voices fading as they continued walking down the long corridor.

* * *

Kagome heaved a sigh as she pushed her chair back from the desk, Houjo sending her a questioning, concerned look. She smiled and waved him aside. "No, nothing's wrong, I just feel so far behind and it gets kind of daunting. There's so much still for me to learn and, I'm sure as you know, book learning only goes so far in helping in the medical field. I miss the labs, even though last year all we got to do was work with cadavers. I was looking forward to learning some of the procedures this year." She noticed her smile had dropped, as apparently had Houjo. "Ah, it's not that I regret dropping to only one class here, and not that I'm ungrateful for everything I'm learning with your help, it's just that...well there's so much to learn about the world and not enough time in the day, ne?"

This brought her mind directly to the subject matter she'd been dancing around for weeks but hadn't had the nerve to bring up. Taking a deep breath she plunged ahead. "Houjo, can I ask you a question?"

He looked taken aback. "Of course you can. Is there anything else I can do to help?" he asked, sympathy and eagerness lacing the question.

"Well, I, uh," she stuttered along, "I was just wondering if I might, maybe, you know, be able to help out at your family's clinic sometimes?" When his eyes widened she feared the worst and her words came spilling out. "I mean just volunteering of course, since I'd be learning so much by being there, and I don't mind if I just do grunt work and fetch things for people, as long as I can watch and figure stuff out that's all I care about, honestly..."

Houjo, however, far from appearing deterred, seemed almost, in fact, inspired. "You mean you'd like to spend extra time learning with my family...with me?"

She nodded hesitantly, having the inkling he was reading something else into her question though she wasn't quite sure what. "Only if it's okay. You're already doing so much to help me, I don't want to bother you with anything else if I'd just end up being a burden."

"No!" he interjected, the quickness of his response causing her to look at him strangely. Seeing her expression he immediately caught hold of himself. "I mean, of course you wouldn't be a burden. I'd be a great place for you to learn more and I'd be honored to have you there with me."

Again Kagome had the niggling feeling she was missing something in the interchange but since nothing jumped out at her about it she shrugged it off. "You really mean that, Houjo? It's fine?"

"It's fine, Higurashi," he confirmed as he gently clasped her hand, his smile growing.

She, taking his reassurance at face value, squeezed his hand back and graced him with a brilliant grin of her own.

"Well then," he stood exuberantly, "we should go get you settled in with the layout of the clinic so you can get started."

Kagome's own excitement threatened her composure as she nearly toppled while getting out of her own chair with a little less grace than Houjo had exhibited. Quickly gathering up her books she looked over to where he waited patiently, already planning how she could use his family's knowledge of herbal remedies to help Josef from time to time. Stuffing her books into her bag she rushed over to the door, anxious to get started.

* * *

The months had passed so quickly Kagome barely knew how she was keeping up with everything. It certainly held true that when she was busy or had things to do time seemed to know how to speed up. She couldn't complain entirely though - while it made her day to day life a bit tighter than she liked it also meant she'd get to see Inuyasha all the sooner.

In all honesty she'd tried to finagle a way to get a few days off around Christmas so she could go spend it with him but it just hadn't been feasible between the money, the time she would need to take off school, and her out-of-school schedule. She regretted that she couldn't make it work and tried to console herself with the fact that this way she'd still have enough money for two full weeks with him during the summer break but it didn't quite make up for her disappointment in not being able to see him.

She sat with her head in her hands, contemplating writing Inuyasha a letter. Would it really be worth it though to explain that she'd tried to see him only to be unable to follow through? Wouldn't that be putting him in the same mind as her, of what the holidays _could _have been like instead? She shook her head, exhaling heavily as she leaned her elbows onto the desk. She'd decided when she came back from seeing him the last time that it wasn't worth it to worry about such things. It didn't help him and it certainly didn't help her at the moment when she was supposed to be studying for her first set of finals at law school.

Suddenly she snapped to as a hand waved in front of her face. "Yo, Kagome, earth to Kagome?"

She turned to Sango and gave her a weak smile. They'd been growing slowly closer to each other over the semester. Though their trust had been slow in forming - Sango seemed cautious to get close to anyone and Kagome had to be careful to guard a secret not entirely her own - she had to admit that at the very least the older classmate had been invaluable as a study-buddy. "Sorry, Sango, I just dazed off a bit. What were we on again?"

Sango didn't seem fooled a bit, not surprising by the glum expression on the girl who normally didn't let anything get her down. She was suddenly glad for her dislike of noise and crowds since, with a quick glance around, she was able to assure that the classroom they used for studying was indeed empty. She turned her eyes on Kagome in a shrewd, appraising way. "Does this have to do with the things we haven't talked about yet?"

Kagome looked startled and that seemed all the confirmation Sango needed. She reached out her hand to take Kagome's. "Look, I count you as my friend. I've watched you long enough to know you probably couldn't be deceptive if you tried - you're one of those bluntly forthright people," Kagome flinched by Sango only smiled at her, "who always speaks her mind frankly and tries to do what she thinks is right. I think I can trust you and I want to try to help you if I can."

The arrested look had not left Kagome's face and Sango only cocked her head to the side as she continued to gaze straight into her eyes. "Still afraid you can't trust me?" she asked ruefully.

"It's not that," Kagome answered immediately, painfully, "it's just..."

"Yes, yes," Sango answered for her when her words seemed to fail, "it's that others depend on your words and whom you trust. I understand that it might take a bit more than normal for you to trust me with any of that fully. But you've said you were directed to me, that I might be able to help or give you information or something, and I can't do that without knowing at least the vague premise of what's going on. So how about this: I'll ask questions and you can answer me as broadly or as detailed as you like, or you can choose to not answer at all. This way you can measure how much of what kind of information I get. Agreed?"

Kagome smiled, happy her friend was patient and, though she tried to hide it, caring enough to go through all the bother. "Agreed."

"Okay, so what - in the broadest sense - is this all about?"

"Hanyou...and their place in the legal system."

Sango was momentarily taken aback; whatever she had been expecting it certainly hadn't been that. "Wha...are you...?" She glanced meaningfully to Kagome's midsection, currently hidden by the desk. She didn't think she'd seen any change in her friend's weight but then again it was December and there was much to be said for the concealing properties of bulky winter jackets.

It took Kagome a moment to catch onto what Sango was insinuating since at first she'd thought she was referencing the book on the table in front of her. When she realized however, she couldn't decide whether to gasp or laugh and settled for an awkward combination of the two. "No, I'm...just no. I should let you know now though that if I were pregnant I would love the child regardless of his or her genetic composition."

Finally pulling her gaze back up to Kagome's face Sango worked her mouth a moment before continuing on. "Does that mean that you have been...?"

Kagome cut her off, not willing to reveal that much just yet, not knowing what her sentiments were regarding hanyou. "I need to know before I go any further, Sango. Will you still help me if I'm researching hanyou legal matters and eventually want to use that to get them equal rights?" She was nervous watching her friend contemplate the matter. She looked as though she'd never heard of anything more preposterous in her life but then again Kagome had to concede hers wasn't exactly an everyday request. She ran through her words again in her head, making sure that she hadn't given away too much information, anything that could be linked to any particular hanyou, in case Sango decided against her. Even as she went over the possibility though she found it ridiculous; though she didn't know what Sango was working so hard for, even if there was a conflict of interests, Kagome didn't think Sango would ever try to undermine her or work against her. She believed they had enough level of trust going for them there. In any case, would Professor Yamizaki have directed her to Sango if their ultimate goals had been in conflict?

Anxiety was gnawing at her in the silence but she refused to give into it. She had chosen to trust her friend and trust her friend she would.

Suddenly Sango sat back and with a brusque laugh broke the tense quiet. "Wow, you really did get me there. All this time I've been guessing at your story and never once did this even occur to me. But," she leaned forward again and looked at Kagome earnestly, "are you really serious about this? Do you have any idea what you're getting into?"

"Of course I know! It's not like I picked this up on a whim! How many people even really know about the existence of hanyou?"

"But - but that could get really dangerous! Kagome, you have no idea what the government and its implemented systems can be like. If you start arguing about something that they don't like or even digging in areas they don't appreciate things can turn bad for you fast. How on earth can you do that knowing the risks?"

"Because, as I said, I know what I'm getting myself into," she answered with a calm that made Sango realize she wasn't the first she'd argued with on the subject matter.

"You know some, don't you," she said in wonder. She was starting to see Kagome in a whole new light; she'd always seen her as bubbly and sweet but now she was discovering there was something entirely different lingering beneath the surface.

"Sango..." she started out in a tired tone but she didn't need continue on. They both knew she wouldn't divulge any more information until Sango had made her stance clear.

"My father was killed by a youkai."

Kagome's eyes widened at the information, taken aback as she was by the quick subject change and the horror of the revelation.

"He and my brother both were attacked. It took my father a long time to die, months spent lying in a hospital while the doctors tried everything they could to save him. In the end it wasn't enough - and my brother's still there." Her eyes seemed to darken at the last statement and it was all Kagome could do to keep herself from offering sympathies and asking questions; she knew it wasn't the right time.

"He was caught and tried by youkai authorities. Their sense of justice is slightly different than our own but we have no complaints that his punishment was too light." Kagome couldn't help but shiver as she watched Sango's deadpan. "Our problem lay in an entirely different area, one we could not breach legally. If the beast had just killed my family it would be one thing, but he made them suffer and linger, and all the while it sucked us dry of everything we had left, in every single way emotionally, mentally, and physically. I had to borrow against the house to pay the medical bills, then put out a mortgage, and eventually there just was no money left and it was repossessed. I sold everything else I could, did everything I could to get money. When my father...passed...I was able to use his life insurance to pay off most of the debt but then there's still my brother..."

She visibly pulled herself together and her face was fiercer than Kagome had ever seen it. "The youkai who did this to us is rich...he's from one of the old families so he's filthy, stinking rich. If he were human I could sue the pants off him or at least bring the government into the equation. If nothing else the public outcry might be enough for the government itself to kick in a bit and start helping. Yet because of the bridge between our respective legal systems there's nothing I can do. I'm stuck but I won't see other people in the same predicament." Her gaze had wandered off as memories had flooded her when she spoke and turning back to Kagome she saw her mouth was stuck open in shock. _Or agitation?_ she wondered. She hadn't exactly meant to get so impassioned in her explanation and she knew her general severity frightened off many people. Would Kagome see her differently now?

"I'm not looking for riches or anything of that sort and I would hate to open a way for some to exploit the civil law system like they are now, but...

"Suffice it to say," she continued, "I'm looking for a way to bridge that gap. Everything I'm researching now could _possibly _be helpful to you I suppose. I don't really know what you're looking for but if I can do anything for you I'm more than willing."

Kagome's voice was small when she spoke. "Does this mean you hate youkai?" She hated to think it but it could bring in complications. After all, hanyou were half-youkai and such strong and personal prejudices were hard to erase when blood was concerned.

Sango sighed softly. "At first I did, but no. There are murders every day by humans as well and I've seen cruelty of all kinds. If there is equal capability for evil then there must be equal capability for good, right?" She smiled sadly. "I can't say it isn't hard for me though, that every time I meet a youkai I see them as guilty until they prove themselves innocent. It's not something I'm proud of but all I can do is accept it for the time being and continue to work on it."

Kagome contemplated her a long moment before nodding. "In that case, yes, I have met some hanyou."

* * *

Inuyasha prowled quietly around his room, growling at intermittent intervals. Kagome's letter was late. Oh, it was in the building, Ryu had made certain to reassure him, but it couldn't be delivered to him just yet. What on earth could take so long with getting him a simple letter? He snarled and punched the door, knowing it was the surface in his room least likely to show damage.

It was pathetic, really, how dependant he had become on those letters, like they were a lifeline to sweeter and tamer than the world he lived in. On more than one occasion he'd found himself ready to shred the damn things since he realized they were making him so sappy, since they showed by stark contrast the horrible state he had to endure on a daily basis. He laughed. As though he didn't know that all on his own anyhow.

With a vicious snarl he launched himself at the closet and pulled out the cosseted letters, holding his claws up to them once again. One swipe and it would all be over..._at least until the next letter comes,_ insisted a small part of him. No, he shook his head to free himself of the doubt the thought brought up. He didn't like feeling dependant. He forestalled the argument he always had with himself, that it was different to be dependant on her than the Shrine because at least at the Shrine he earned his keep. He clung to this with all the tenacity he had, arguing that not only was it true but it was the only way to truly protect Kagome.

He growled again when he saw his hand had lowered as the thoughts raged inside his head. No more. It only made it worse that she wrote every week, that he had become used to hearing from her, that he had so easily incorporated reading her letters as a regular course of his life. It felt _familiar,_ and he hated it because every time he saw another damned envelope he couldn't help the hope that bubbled up inside him.

It had to end. He raised his claws just as a knock sounded at the door. Without thinking he sprang into action and carefully placed the letters back in the closet though there was now only one clean sheet and a few shirts to hide them in. Backing up to make sure they appeared safely hidden he stumped over to the door and swung it open to reveal, to his surprise, Ryu standing there with his arms loaded so high he could only see the top of his head.

"You mind helping me with this or you just gonna stand there staring at me?" His muffled voice startled Inuyasha back into a response and he immediately took the entire bundle from Ryu. "Careful with that, it's heavier than it looks," he admonished as he closed the door behind him. Inuyasha, having expected the misshapen lump to be comprised of nothing but cloth, had miscalculated its weight but recovered easily.

"What is all this?"

"I think, my dear boy, that you would recognize your own sheets by now," Ryu quipped. Inuyasha sent him a look that said he was not amused. "If you want to know why don't you just pull aside the sheets and find out?" He settled himself against the wall as Inuyasha set the bundle on the floor and squatted in front of it. "It won't bite, you know," he said, not quite keeping the laugh from his voice as he watched him poke at the middle of the pile.

"Yeah, yeah, very funny," Inuyasha muttered. "What's with the weird clothes, anyhow? Or are you just going senile with old age?"

"I'll have you know that 38 is not at all old, even for a human," Ryu countered Inuyasha's fallback retort before he could make it, putting on an act of being highly affronted. Inuyasha just smirked - it was so easy to see through the old man after all.

"Besides, this isn't every day wear, it's for more festive occasions, holidays and such..." he said leadingly.

Inuyasha couldn't have looked more uninterested if he'd tried. "Oh, so it's Christmas already?"

"Yes, it's Christmas already! Tomorrow, as a matter of fact. Since it's a couple's holiday and all we don't get much business so the big-wigs just decided to close us down for the day this year."

Inuyasha looked marginally happier. "So you just come to tell me I won't have any clients tomorrow?"

"Of course not. I came to give you this." Ryu thrust a package into Inuyasha's hands but he'd be damned if he knew where it had come from. "And that," he said, pointing to the lump in front of him, "is from a dear friend who wishes she could have been here to give it to you in person."

Eyes widening Inuyasha whipped his head around to stare at the sheets as if Kagome herself might appear out of them. Ryu refrained from chuckling though he wasn't sure if Inuyasha heard him as he said, "Well it's obvious I'm no longer needed here. I'll leave you alone and let you to your privacy to open your present. I'll stop in tomorrow though to wish you a Merry Christmas." Sure enough he wasn't paying the least bit attention and with a smile Ryu left the room, taking care to close the door firmly behind him, and whistled his way down the hall.

Inuyasha stared fixedly at the pile of fabric in front of him and, after a furtive glance around the room to assure himself no one else was there that could be playing a joke on him, pulled off the top sheet with mingling excitement and distrust. When a large box came into view and it seemed to be nothing more than it appeared to be he lunged greedily for it, pulling it into his lap as he tore at the top to get the cardboard open. Everything inside was covered in thin paper but there was a letter on top with writing in Kagome's distinctive script. Warring with himself whether or not to read the letter first his curiosity got the better of him and he gingerly set it aside as he tore through the paper to reveal what was left inside.

For a moment he was confused. There was something large and shiny and it made him pause before he recognized it as a kettle. Even then he scoffed, _leave it to the wench to send me something I can't even use._ Taking it out to examine it he started when he felt something fall onto his knee and saw an electrical cord attached to the kettle. He hadn't even known they made them like that but at least her gift certainly made more sense now. Peering deeper into the box he discovered that every bit of space remaining was taken up by what looked like an entire case of instant ramen.

Putting the electric kettle down with excruciating caution he picked up and opened Kagome's letter.

_Dear Inuyasha,_

_Merry Christmas! I'm sorry I couldn't manage a way to get out to see you, I had hoped to spend the day with you._ Inuyasha blushed at this, his eyes darting around the room again. Had she meant that in the way that Ryu had mentioned earlier, about it being a couples' holiday, or was it just that she didn't want him to have to spend a holiday alone?

_Since I can't come see you I figured I'd do what I could to make it a more pleasant day for you anyhow. With everything here you won't have to leave for the cafeteria and run into anyone you don't like, well at least not if you don't want to. The case should last you for a day or two, right? _Inuyasha had to squint at the writing here but he assumed it was her approximation of a winking face. Glancing at the amount of ramen he concluded wryly that he probably could polish the whole of it off in that short a time if he wanted to. He knew he wouldn't though, he'd want to drag out the remainder of her gift for as long as he could possibly manage to make it last.

_I miss you but at least time is moving fast so hopefully it won't feel like too long before I get to come out there again. _He couldn't have disagreed more. Time seemed to drag at a snail's pace but seeing as there was nothing he could do about it he decided to just not dwell on it. Besides, her constant reassurance in every single of her weekly letters was slowly burgeoning a sense of security within him that she most definitely would be there when she said.

_I'll be writing to you same time again next week so don't you dare go forgetting about me, alright? _He couldn't help but laugh. It always amused him when she tried to get threatening in her letters. _And I really do appreciate your last letter but it's been over a month so maybe you could send back something soon? I don't care if it's much, don't want to sound too desperate, _- she'd crossed that last part off then tried to erase it but he could still see the faint markings - _but anything's fine just so long as I know you're alright. _

_Either way, Merry Christmas again and please pass my well wishes along to Ryu as well. _

_Love,  
Kagome_

Shaking his head gently and smiling to himself he got up to immediately set the letter with all the others but instead of putting them away he decided to pull them all out together. Stopping to pull his water pitcher out from his small cabinet he plugged the kettle in and knew a moment of deep satisfaction when it started heating up almost immediately. Settling himself against the bed frame with an unrepentant smirk he opened the first letter in the bundle and began to read, pausing only at the kettles whistle to pour the hot water into his first cup of ramen.

Yes, he decided, this was definitely going to be his best Christmas in recent memory.

* * *

**A/N: **As always, much thanks to all the readers and reviewers and of course to Akihana for doing fantastic beta-ness.


	20. Perception

Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler

* * *

**Chapter 20: Perception**

- The quality, state, or capability, of being affected by something external; sensation; sensibility.  
- The representation of what is perceived; basic component in the formation of a concept  
- Insight, intuition, or knowledge gained by perceiving; the capacity for such insight

* * *

Kagome's life had turned into one surprise after another. Her first big shock came when she stepped foot into Yami's house the day after New Year's.

After seeing Inuyasha the last time and making her decision about dedicating her time to hanyou in general, even going so far as to transfer to law school, Kagome had taken up her new tasks with fervor. She had already been teaching Josef a little bit most times she stopped by, having been appalled at his non-existent learning options. Granted, she wasn't one who loved her school work, but it was something entirely different when someone wasn't given the opportunity to gain even basic rudimentary knowledge. After all, if she was able to realize her dream and create a society where hanyou could be equals, then they - and Josef - would need the same skill sets as everyone else and would face the same education requirements.

Not only that but the boy seemed to really take to the lessons. He almost glowed when he finally grasped a new concept, as if new worlds were opening up to him, and with his greatly increased reading ability he was able to escape into more fantastic realities than he'd ever imagined before. Of course, Kagome had almost groaned at realizing that his favorite subject was math and that he also seemed to be extremely gifted in the area. She knew that before long she'd be hard pressed to give him adequate answers as to why certain formulas worked the ways they did but she could only help him as far as she herself understood. After that he'd either be on his own, with only textbooks for answers, or she might be able to find someone else who was better at the subject who was also okay with hanyou...Well, a girl could dream after all.

As she started taking her time with Josef more seriously she went to bookstores and bought primers and workbooks, mind puzzles, and anything else she thought might challenge her young student when she had to stay away for longer than she liked due to other obligations.

But then things changed, though she didn't yet know how dramatically, when she stepped through Yami's door to learn that someone else was inside. She heart lurched in her chest, afraid that someone had discovered Josef's plight and wanted to do who knew what to the poor hanyou boy. Thankfully Yami saw and understood Kagome's arrested expression and immediately placed a large, hairy hand on her shoulder as he quietly shut the door.

"There's nothing to worry about," he said in that deep, gravelly voice of his. "He," he nodded his head toward the shadowy figure in the next room, the same one she had first found Josef in, "would like to learn as well. I thought that as long as you were already teaching one hanyou you might not mind a second."

She ripped her gaze away from the stranger and her eyes pierced Yami. "He's...hanyou?" At his confirmation she had to ask, "But, but how? How did he come to be here?"

"How did I meet him you mean?" He sighed. "After Josef came to me here and we really started getting along I began to wonder how many other hanyou might be around, even in our own area. I'd like to have someone for Josef to be able to identify with. After you started teaching him he opened up so much I couldn't help but want it for him more. Plus seeing the wonders that some outside interaction did for Josef I hoped to be able to provide the same to any other hanyou who desired it.

"I'd been discreetly sniffing around for information in the area for a while. After all, it can hardly be a complete secret that Josef is here; everyone who lives around here has too keen of senses to be ignorant of it, they just believe it to be beneath their notice. However, it has become much more interesting now that there is a human visiting here often."

Her eyes opened wide at the thought that her presence had created such a stir.

"Oh, yes, Kagome, and it is all the more intriguing, or disturbing depending on how you look at it, because it's an association between a human, a youkai, and a hanyou. I love having you here but I must warn you to be cautious. I don't think you have anything to worry about at the moment but you never know how things can change. If I think things start to get even the slightest bit dangerous I don't care how you feel, I will forbid you to come around or place yourself in harm's way - do I make myself clear?"

Kagome shot him a wry smile. "I thought we decided when I first met you that I was already being risky. If I wanted to forego any danger I couldn't come here at all now, could I? So how about I just promise to be careful and listen to any warnings you may have?"

Yami didn't like the idea, or the reminder that he was willingly putting her in danger, no matter how unlikely the possibility was at the moment. One look over at Josef, however, and he pushed his regrets aside. This was for him and as long as Kagome was aware of what she was doing and getting into he couldn't deny his nephew this one pleasure - at least, not for now.

"Fine," he agreed gruffly. "But you make sure you listen well to anything I warn you about." It wasn't a request so he didn't bother waiting for a reply.

"Back to the subject at hand, word started getting around that you were coming over here and it was only a matter of time before I was approached by someone. Now I'd been hearing speculation of all kinds so I wasn't particularly feeling inclined to listen to this stranger, at least not until she said she had heard you were teaching my hanyou and wanted to know if you'd teach hers too."

"Wait just a minute...how did she know I was teaching Josef here?" She couldn't keep the note of worry out of her voice.

"I can't be exactly sure but it wouldn't be very difficult. Granted most of the homes around here have fortified walls and some even have basic barriers so we don't air all of our business out for anybody passing by in the streets, but still it wouldn't be impossible for someone, especially anyone who cared enough to know, to overhear what goes on in here sometimes. Of course there are safeguards and I also pay attention to who hangs around the house but still, it's not impossible. Plus there are some who are just plain nosy.

"It can't be surprising to you that your presence here has created a decent amount of interest. Your repeated visits would incite curiosity in some and they may take it upon themselves to find out the reason for your coming." He shrugged. "There are endless possibilities for how it was found out you were teaching Josef. The important thing at the moment though is that it's known and that there are some interested in it, especially in taking advantage of that giving streak of yours."

She shot a glare his direction, though whether it was at his insinuation she was too kind, that she was being taken advantage of, or that he was taking the whole thing too lightly, Yami wasn't able to tell. Slowly she took a breath and stood up tall. "Well, enough of that. Like you said, what's done is done. While we're yapping away over here that boy over there is probably getting scared out of his mind, wondering what horrible things we're saying about him or planning to do to him, so let's get the introductions going."

She slid back the shouji door further and had to bite back a gasp at the sheer size of the man...boy...teenager? He was huge, even larger than Yami, which was saying something, but there was an air of youth about him, almost an innocence or gentleness. She couldn't help but feel oddly comfortable around him. She guessed maybe he looked like he might be in his late teens or early twenties but she had no idea how accurate her aging would be, considering she didn't know how quickly hanyou, or even youkai, aged. Would it depend on what species youkai blood ran in them? Did different youkai age at different rates? She pondered a moment before pushing the questions aside. Those were things she could talk over later with Dr. Hirohito. In the present her new acquaintance was going to require all of her attention.

Noting the older woman she saw standing confidently next to him, who she assumed was the hanyou's mother, she gave her a small nod of acknowledgement but kept her focus on him. Holding out her hand she walked forward, smile firmly on her face. "Hi, I'm Kagome. It's very nice to meet you." He glanced warily at her hand but it didn't faze her that he didn't reciprocate. She'd actually expected more misgivings but his curious eyes gave her faith that it might go easier than she'd anticipated. "And you are?" she urged.

"Jinenji," he said, extending one large finger to touch her palm. "My name is Jinenji."

* * *

Kagome heaved her backpack down on the stainless steel table with a heavy sigh. She swore she was going to end up with back problems from carrying around both her law texts and her medical books. Rubbing her aching neck she strolled casually around Dr. Hirohito's laboratory while she waited for him. Glancing at her watch she assured herself it was the time he'd appointed when he'd called her earlier, his breathing almost frantic in his excitement, arranging to share some of his results with her.

She paused to look at one of the microscopes he had set up, seeing there was still a specimen under the lens. Glancing around just in case, though she didn't know why she'd need to feel guilty when he'd left it out where anyone could get to it and she _had _been invited after all, she surreptitiously leaned closer. The door thundered open at that moment and she whirled to face it, giggling nervously at having been caught. She needn't have wasted the worry though as the doctor obviously wasn't paying it any mind. Closing the door with his foot he rushed over and enveloped her in a great hug, spinning her around a moment before setting her down.

As soon as she was free Kagome edged away awkwardly. It wasn't that she felt uncomfortable with Professor Hirohito it was just she was unsure about where they could cross the teacher-student line. Sure, super-secret hanyou research was one thing, but hugging? That was an entirely different animal. Shaking her head she laughed wryly at herself for being so silly.

"So I take it you've found something interesting?" she queried, bemused at how a professional man fifteen years her senior could suddenly seem so like a little boy in his excitement.

"So much and yet so little. Of course, that's the way things always are in the beginning. Every piece I learned just showed me how much more there still is to understand." He pulled her over to a desk and began pushing reams of paper in front of her, covered in charts and diagrams, mathematics and mechanics, some with things she could understand and many others that were far beyond her comprehension.

"It's a miracle of life, Kagome. A plain out miracle. Youkai and ningen blood don't appear to be made to allow any kind of mixing together. I mean, of course, nothing would happen if you bled on a youkai and a little blood mixed in, but if I gave a youkai a transfusion of human blood his insides would twist and scream at the invasion. So how two such seemingly opposed entities can come together and create such a perfect specimen boggles me, scientifically speaking. Without knowing of the existence of living adult hanyou I would have hazarded a guess that any offspring from the two races would not survive to birth or would die very quickly afterward from his own body attacking itself. Amazing, it's just amazing!"

"Why would the two blood types fight against each other so fiercely?" she wondered aloud.

"It would be like putting dog blood into a cat, or perhaps more like giving a transfusion of AB+ type blood to a person with O-. It's impossible to tell which analogy is more accurate as of yet, since a dog and cat can't truly mate and have offspring but two humans with different blood can very well do so. The question is, then, whether human genetics meshes better with different types of youkai. There's no way for me to know unless I get my hands on other hanyou data.

"Say," he turned to her, suddenly sly, "didn't you say you're working with a couple more hanyou now?"

"No," she said emphatically, "absolutely not. Don't even think about it. I barely know Jinenji yet and Josef is still scared enough of most anything that there is no way I would ever suggest drawing his blood. It would just make him feel like some kind of specimen."

"Alright, alright," Dr. Hirohito put his hands up in surrender, "can't blame a man for trying though, in the name of research of course." He winked at her and Kagome found it impossible to hold on to her ire. "Besides, it's not like that is the only way to gather data. You said this tetsudai, Inuyasha, was rather humanoid except for the ears, correct?"

She nodded. "And other minor details."

"Then what about the other two you've met?"

"It's hard to say." She scrunched her brow, thinking. "I would have to say a lot probably depends on what type of youkai parentage each has. Josef is boar-hanyou and bears much more of a resemblance to his uncle, but his uncle almost looks like an upright version of a boar. You know, he's covered in hair, has tusks, the whole works. At least he has opposable thumbs though." She sniggered slightly as it had always been a friendly barb between Yami and herself. "Josef is basically a toned down version of Yami, though his tusks are small enough - or maybe he files them down - to not be noticeable so he could possibly pass for a really hairy human.

"Jinenji on the other hand...I really have no idea. I've never met his father and don't even have any idea what kind of youkai he was. He doesn't look like anything or anyone else I've ever seen so I really couldn't help you there, but he doesn't look humanoid in almost any sense. He's incredibly intelligent though; he'd probably be top of any school, that is, if he could get into any school." She grumbled almost mutinously. The lack of hanyou education options grated on her more now that she was faced with someone who was so obviously brilliant.

"Hn." He thought on it momentarily. "Either way we can get back to that later. It's _your _hanyou's results that I'm concerned with at the moment."

Kagome blushed. "Just call him Inuyasha, alright?"

"Yes, yes," he waved her concern aside. "Regardless, his DNA analysis itself was quite revealing. There are some striking similarities to human forms and sequences in some sections, then others are so completely different it's astounding they work together. Of course, seeing as I don't have any inu-youkai blood to analyze in comparison I can't be entirely certain whether the other sections are youkai based or are a completely new entity unique only to him, or perhaps to all hanyou, though it's far too early to say such a thing with only one example thus far. However, I did have some books to draw from that have some rudimentary basic forms about inu-youkai blood, nothing too detailed mind you, but it does give me enough to conclude that at least some of the anomalies I witnessed were unique to Inuyasha as a hanyou.

"It was interesting to me that some things could be so easily identified as human though, which is what leads me to believe that at least some of the other undefined characteristics must be basically youkai. It's almost as if he's part patchwork, that instead of being a completely new creature that he's part youkai, part human, and part hanyou binding it all together. It could even be that, when conceived, the new being forms its own compound to enable the two otherwise opposed blood forces to cohabitate peacefully within himself. It's like getting the best of all worlds. I can only imagine the physiological and psychological effects such a basis could enact on someone."

"Wait, wait, wait," Kagome held up a hand, "let me get this straight. You're saying that a hanyou, based on the rudimentary information we have so far, is not just a completely new being but is actually part human and part youkai?"

"That is part of it, yes."

Her mind was already back on her law books even as she spoke. "Interesting, very interesting." She stood, intending to go do some research right then while the ideas were still fresh in her mind.

"Wait, you can't be going yet. I haven't finished telling you everything!" he called after her, even as she shouldered her bag. She could see the disappointment on his face from not getting to share the entirety of his findings; after all, with it being a secret between the two of them there was no one else he could brag to and share his enthusiasm with.

"I promise I'll be back soon. What you've already told me may have helped a great deal, I have to go look into the possibilities before anything can possibly slip me by."

"But-" He could see she had a point but that didn't mean she could just shake off his research like that. He'd put a lot of work into it and while the joy of discovery was its own reward he needed to share it lest it drive him insane having to bottle it up.

"Don't worry. Besides, by the time I come back I bet you'll have figured out even more. Plus then I'll have time to tell you more about Jinenji - he's a fantastic herbalist and I know some of his mixtures will be of interest to you." With a wave of her hand she was out the door.

Dr. Hirohito pushed back his chair, ran a hand through his hair and sighed, a small smile touching his lips. It was a good feeling, finding out so much about something previously overlooked. He hoped one day he'd be able to publish his findings, as they sure were good and it was only the beginning. There was still so much more he wanted to know but was unable to pursue without having access to other hanyou blood or tissue samples, comparative youkai blood, or even just the genetic mapping of Inuyasha's parents so he could define how much of what came from each parent, at least in his case.

_Oh well_, he mused. In science there was always a load of things that would be great to explore 'if only.' At the moment though all that succeeded in doing was distracting him so he just needed to focus on what he could research, leaving that he couldn't yet touch to another time, one he hoped would come to pass in the near future.

But for now it was back to work. After all, he was sparing so he still had the gift of a generous amount of Inuyasha's blood to play with and he was determined to crack every single secret he could out of it before he was through.

* * *

Sango whistled as she eyed the stairway Kagome had just started up. "No wonder you can eat all you want and don't have to go to the gym."

Kagome turned back to her with a rueful shake of her head. "Yeah, it's so much fun having to climb these things multiple times a day – especially if I've got all my law and med books with me."

Sango made a low sound of commiseration which turned into a low chuckle when Kagome threw her a glare when she wasn't even the slightest bit winded when they reached the top. "Years of self-defense training every day would make this seem a piece of cake to you too."

Turning around she commented, "It must be worth it for the view if nothing else."

"I suppose it is," Kagome confirmed. Living with it day in and day out took the wonder out of it but when she stopped to take a fresh look the height really did have its advantages. "Now, you going to stand there and stare at the city all day or we going to grab some lunch and study? Some of us don't like having our spines bent by heavy backpacks if we can help it."

Silently Sango followed her into the house and sat quietly at the kitchen table as Kagome made them a quick meal. Feeling it would be rude to pull out her books and start studying while Kagome worked in the kitchen Sango gazed around the house, trying to get a feel for the girl and her family.

It was…cozy, she had to admit. She knew Kagome had lost her father, she'd told her that much, but she couldn't see the evidence of it she might look for. There was no sense of brokenness to this home. It was just all warm and familiar and inviting – all things she'd never expect for a unit that had such a gaping hole.

She wondered if it was just that her own father's loss had been so devastatingly tragic that she'd changed herself so much afterward. Was it Kagome's persona that kept her steady, that she was just that strong a person? Was it the support of her family, that they were strong as well?

She shook her head, slightly admonishing herself. She and Kagome were different people and, despite the fact that they both had absent fathers, she didn't see much similarity between them. Still, it didn't seem to matter as they continued to get along just fine, much to her surprise.

After everything in her life had changed she hadn't been one to put up with others and they hadn't much wanted to put up with her either so it had worked out well for all involved. Kagome just drew her somehow, and she wondered whether it was because they were so different that it just clicked somehow or if she was merely curious about how the girl could turn out so cheerful despite everything that happened in her life.

She wasn't an idiot. She knew there was much more to her story, to her interest in hanyou, than she had mentioned so far. There was an odd pain she carried in her, which Sango only knew because a life of hardship taught her to recognize it. No surprise really, she supposed. She couldn't imagine how anything involving hanyou could be easy.

From an intellectual standpoint the subject intrigued her. She'd never given much thought to hanyou before, having only the passing thoughts that she couldn't understand how such a being could come to be, how a human and youkai could stand each other enough to coexist, let alone be _intimate_ with each other. Still, despite how much she disliked youkai at the moment she knew that there were villains and heroes in every race.

Maybe spending time with Kagome would be good for her in more ways than one. If she was really going to be able to follow through with her chosen profession she would need to be able to distinguish between bad and good, black and white, and all the grey matter in between. She'd have to push aside her own prejudices to see those things in those she didn't want to, but she was out for justice, not pure revenge.

Yes, Kagome and her situation had already opened her eyes and she only knew the basic tenants of what was going on. She wondered what else would change when she found out more.

"Sango," Kagome's voice broke her reverie, "I was wondering just how it is you plan on making it possible to cross the ningen-youkai divide in these civil cases of yours? As far as I know there's no foundation for such a thing, so how would you be able to make it work?"

She sighed appreciatively as Kagome placed the food on the table. It had been a while since she'd had a family to cook for and she didn't often bother with only herself, not that her skills had ever been great to begin with. What Kagome had whipped up in only a matter of minutes made her stomach growl in anticipation.

Kagome giggled at the noise but didn't comment, only picking up her chopsticks and digging in with a hearty "Itadakimasu!"

"Itadakimasu." As Sango took her first bite of food she started to formulate her answer. "That's where I'll have to be very creative, honestly. If I don't have a complete, cohesive design laid out when I go to the Middle Court there'll be nowhere for me to move forward, so that's really the crux of the matter."

"The Middle Court?" Kagome asked, looking up inquisitively. "What's that?"

"You don't know about that?" Sango was surprised. It seemed like this would be one of the core things she would need to know about if she continued in her study of hanyou rights. Perhaps that was one of the reasons the Professor had gotten the two of them working together. "This should be very interesting to you then, and very pertinent for your situation besides.

"The Middle Court is called that because that's exactly what it is – it's the court system set up between the youkai and human courts."

Kagome's eyed widened at the information.

"If the youkai wish to pass a law that has any implications for humans or their relations with humans then it must be approved by the Middle Court. They also hear pleas, typically of one party being wronged by another and feeling overlooked by the court system in place. As you can imagine, there are all sorts of loopholes and problems in the ningen-youkai relations and how one metes out punishments for inter-species infractions.

"Of course there is quite the complicated system set up for just those situations, otherwise there's no way there would be any sort of peace right now and we wouldn't be able to live in neighboring communities. Still, with as many problems as there can be in one court you can imagine what it's like spread between three of them, hence why I'm trying to fill up one hole myself right now. That's what I'd have to do once I have a plan formulated – go before them when they're hearing public pleas, because since my plan affects both species no one would touch it until it had the stamp of approval from the Middle Court."

"Wow. That sounds…complicated." Kagome gave a wry chuckle. "I think I just found out another set of books I'll have to check out from the library – as if I didn't have enough to read right now. Still, that sounds amazing. With them I might possibly have a chance to, well, who knows. How big is the court? Who's it made up of?"

"There are eight members, four human and four youkai. As you can imagine, this is grounds for many split decisions and many issues and laws are tabled for years at a time before a compromise can be reached. More than half the time the votes are split right down the species line, but they do the best they can I suppose. The human members have a say in which youkai can be appointed to the court and vice versa.

"They even toyed around with having additional members, playing with the numbers to try to get an odd head count, but that always left one race with more members. Inevitably it led to uprisings against most decisions that were passed claiming unfair prejudice, even if the majority were of their own species. So in the end it's been left as it is now and I suppose that's how it'll stay unless some magical solution appears."

Kagome was getting ideas but she was far ahead of herself, probably decades too far ahead. At that thought she grew a little dizzy, thinking about how much work she had ahead of her, if any of it ever even came to fruition in the first place.

However the knowledge of this court completely changed her outlook. There were so many possibilities now she was near to bursting with energy. Too many plans were formulating in her head at once and she pulled out a notebook to furiously scribble out as much as she could before she lost any of it.

Sango looked on and shook her head, bemused, but kept quiet. She didn't want to break Kagome's concentration. It seemed that this was just exactly what her friend had needed to get the ball rolling and she was finding she was really glad to have been able to help, even in that small way. Her excitement was contagious and she found herself mulling over any other information she might have that would be of use to Kagome.

Suddenly Kagome looked up from her writing. "Okay, screw it. I don't know if you trust me yet but I trust you. I would've told you sooner if it were just about me but with others on the line…well you'll get it when you know.

"When we first met you asked me if I was pregnant with a hanyou. I'm not looking for solutions for a child hanyou, though that's certainly important too – but at the moment I'm more concerned with adults. You see, I'm kind of seeing one." She supposed that was as apt a description as any she could put on her relationship with Inuyasha.

Sango, who was unsurprised and unruffled at nearly everything, goggled. "You're _seeing_ one? As in romantically?"

Kagome nodded.

"How is that even possible? I wasn't sure any were even around, and if there are I'm sure they're well hidden enough to make it hard to meet one. How on earth did the two of you ever cross paths in the first place?"

"He's a tetsudai."

"Wait," Sango sat back. "You mean one of the helpers at the Bacana Shrine?" With slowly dawning realization her eyes narrowed as she looked across the table at Kagome. "Isn't that the one where sex is the currency for worship?"

Kagome had the grace to blush. Suddenly her food, what little was left on the plate, seemed amazingly interesting. "Yeah."

"You went to a sex shrine?" Sango had trouble picturing Kagome in such a place, being that she almost radiated kindness and innocence.

"Yeah."

"And you met him there?"

"Yeah."

"He works there?"

"Yeah."

"And you're 'seeing' your prostitute?"

As tired as she was of the repetition of her answers Kagome couldn't think of anything else to say. Besides, Sango had just said it all, hadn't she? "Yeah."

"But he has a job, doesn't he? That's more than most hanyou can claim, so what's the problem?"

She was shocked when Kagome's expression suddenly turned furiously fierce. She'd never seen such a reaction from the normally cheery girl.

"What's the problem?" she nearly spat. "What's the problem? I'll tell you what. It's the fact that Inuyasha has less rights than an animal. He's tortured and mutilated by each and every one of those sick, twisted psychos he sees. The nights he's given off are to allow him to recover from any customer who was too careless and ripped off more of his flesh than he could regenerate in only a few hours. The reason, the _only_ reason the shrine keeps him around is because the customers are well paying because they couldn't inflict such injury on a human without killing him. They pay for his ability to heal so they can do it to him again and again and again. Now you tell me, Sango, don't you see just a bit of a _problem_ with that?"

"I'm sorry, Kagome," she replied quietly, "I had no idea."

"Exactly." Kagome's voice was winding higher and higher with each word she spoke. "That's the crux of the matter – no one cares because no one _knows._ How can people speak out against an injustice they're not even aware of? Then again, from the prejudice I've seen so far, some people might not care just because they think hanyou aren't conscious, sentient beings on the same parallel as humans and youkai. They're lower than animals which is why the shrine gets away with allowing such horrors.

"And worst of all," she was reaching near hysterics now, "Inuyasha's grateful to them for it. _Grateful_, can you believe it? Because he is the only hanyou anyone has ever heard of who has made his own way in the world. Because despite the fact he has no family that's willing to acknowledge him, to step up and take responsibility for him, he has a roof over his head. Because he feels it's the only way he can make his way through life without being a burden on someone."

"It sounds like you've tried to convince him to leave," Sango said, trying to sound nonchalant in case she didn't wish to talk about it.

"Of course I have. I've asked him in a multitude of ways to come here and live with me instead but nope, not for him he says. I won't hedge around it, Sango. I love him." She gave a bitter laugh. "I have no idea if the feeling's mutual or if he's merely appreciative of the fact that I'm the sole client he's ever had who didn't beat him senseless for my own perverted pleasure. Regardless, I can't just sit back and watch him live that kind of life – I couldn't stand that for anyone but this just makes it all the more personal since he continues to choose it over me."

"Why on earth would anyone do that?"

"All the things I mentioned before. Pride, that's a big thing. I don't think he wants to rely on me, or anyone really. Plus he's convinced he's unlovable. Not surprising, I suppose, given his life, but he's sure I'll want to drop him sooner or later."

"You're sure you do actually love him?"

Kagome's fierce expression was back. "Unequivocally."

She held up her hands defensively. "Just making sure." At least Sango now knew the source of the pain – some of it at least. "So what are you hoping to do about it? Legally, I mean. I assume that's the main reason you transferred to law school when you obviously liked being in med school."

Kagome shrugged. "I'm not sure yet. Well, I guess that's not entirely true. I know what I _want_: equal status for all hanyou. The question is how to get there and how to work in a system that doesn't even acknowledge hanyou."

"Now don't get upset," Sango hedged, "but I have to ask: is this all about him? This whole movement? What happens if things don't work out between you two or what if he dies or something like that? Do you quit if your motivation is no longer there?"

"Oh it's bigger than that - much, much bigger. Of course at first he was what inspired me and I have to admit is still a large part of my drive, but that's not all. After I found out that hanyou actually exist I started poking around. I've discovered other hanyou around, nearby in fact, and have become friends with two others." She paused. "I'm giving them school lessons," she said wonderingly.

"No kidding?" Sango laughed softly at that. "That certainly explains why you have those primers with you sometimes." She was going to say it also went a long way toward explaining why she always looked so tired and haggard, even with the two schools, but chose to tactfully refrain.

"So where does this leave you?"

Kagome sighed. "The problem is so big I don't really know where to start, what angle would be wisest to attack first or where I'd have the most success. My biggest priority at the moment is just learning everything I'm able to so I can do whatever necessary when the opportunities arise. It's just the patience I lack at the moment.

"That Middle Court though…that definitely sounds promising. You think?"

She nodded in agreement. "I'd say that would be a good place to start, certainly. But just because they represent a middle ground of sorts doesn't mean there's no politics involved or that they'll be sympathetic to your cause. They wouldn't want to pass any laws, or even open the doors for them, that might upset the majority of their constituents. You'd need some mighty strong leverage to get them to even consider the idea."

"Yeah, that is a problem."

"You'd have to have support, clout, and plenty of information as well. You can't walk in there empty handed. When I finally get to meet with them I'll have to present an entire case, basically. So this isn't an idea to tread into lightly."

Kagome laughed ruefully. "This is sounding more and more impossible as we go on."

"Aw, come on. You never said anything about this needing to be _feasible_," Sango ribbed lightly. "Besides, you're talking about starting an entire movement here, changing the very foundation of society – of course it'll sound impossible."

_Wow_. Kagome realized that's really what she was talking about doing.

"But_,_ that doesn't mean it is. We have history books recording event after event that changed and formed the society we live in today so we know that it _is_ possible, even if unlikely."

Suddenly Sango clapped her hands, rubbing the palms together. "In the meantime though we need to find more out about this Bacana Shrine of yours."

Kagome's train of thought came to a crashing halt. "What? Why?"

The look Sango leveled on her made her feel as though it should have been obvious. "Because even if you do succeed at giving hanyou equal rights it will likely take your entire lifetime, if not longer. I expect you wish to help out your tetsudai before then?"

"O-of course. The question is more how to get him to accept any such help." She refrained from mentioning the paperwork she'd already taken out on Inuyasha that gave him all legal human rights, instead wondering where Sango was headed with this.

"If the Shrine has strict guidelines and rules about treatment of their workers there may be a way to work around that to guarantee him at least a modicum more respect than he's getting at the moment. It all really depends on how things work there though…" she trailed off thoughtfully.

Kagome pondered her friend's silence a moment before opting to break into her thoughts. "Does this mean you're going to help me, Sango?"

She took her time to respond. "In part, at least. I really do like you Kagome and I'd like for you to be happy so I'd be glad to help you with Inuyasha. At the very least no one deserves to be treated as badly as the situation you've described he's in.

"On the other hand…there are several things for me to think about. I didn't even know hanyou existed for sure until I met you and never contemplated them in this light before. To be perfectly honest, and I know you won't like this answer, but I can't be sure I want them to have rights equal to ours and youkai."

She held up a hand to still Kagome's indignant response. "I've never met any hanyou. How do I know they're not just dumb, mindless brutes? Or that some are while others are intelligent? You know me well enough by now to know I need information, especially before committing myself to something so steeped in upheaval.

"Plus, in case you've forgotten, I've got my own agenda to deal with. That will take up the majority of my time and energy."

Kagome sat in silence, trying to take in Sango's words. At first she felt a punch of anger, almost betrayal, that she wouldn't immediately support her cause, at least in thought if not in action. She knew Sango had other priorities though, plus she couldn't afford to alienate her only major ally in the legal field, so she had to try to be practical about this.

Of course she would want proof, it was perfectly logical. Plus she'd already given her so much information to aid in her search to gain hanyou rights, had encouraged her when she felt like it would be impossible, so it wasn't like she was against it. Still, she had to make sure where she stood.

"What happens if you meet a hanyou and decide he doesn't deserve the same rights as you and I? Would you do anything to get in my way?" She tried hard to keep the snide tone from her voice but judging by Sango's face she'd failed miserably.

"Kagome, please try to understand what I mean here. I think they deserve some rights, unquestionably. My worry is about their level of understanding and responsibility.

"Think of it this way: lower level youkai and higher level youkai don't have the same degree of rights, correct? That is because lower youkai don't have the same functioning mind and if they're in a rage or they're hungry then they kill or destroy everything in their paths. That is why the higher levels have some measure of control over them. They aren't denied rights though, there are just more checks and balances to make sure their freedoms don't hinder anyone else's, or even harm themselves.

"I don't want to 'put hanyou in their place' or anything ridiculous like that, it's not a matter of superiority, it's a matter of safety. If they're not competent to handle the rights they're given then they endanger themselves and everyone around them. If they are capable then of course they deserve equality and I will do what I can to help you out, but until I know that for sure…" She trailed off with a shrug.

"And as for the other," she slid her eyes away so Kagome wouldn't see the pain caused by having a friend so thoroughly question her scruples, "no, I could never get in your way. The difference in my opinion will just determine I'm a useful bystander or your first major supporter."

Kagome sat back as she took all of that in. She knew Sango had many valid points, much as she'd like to deny them. Plus it was a good thing she brought them up because she knew she'd have to face them at some point, that the same questions would be brought up again and again if she truly pursued this course.

"Would you even want to meet one?" she asked.

"I, uh, yes," Sango replied, slightly surprised. "Of course."

Kagome mulled that over. Knowing Sango was willing, even curious apparently, was only half the equation. The other was figuring out which hanyou she could introduce her to, when, and where in order to ensure their secrecy. She couldn't even guarantee any would be willing – except Inuyasha of course but that had more to do with the fact he saw anyone who could pay enough. She'd have to figure out the best course.

Suddenly she exhaled as the enormity of that particular problem hit her. Everyone else would likely have the same questions, the same problems, the same requests. They'd want proof that hanyou were responsible enough to validate equal rights. How could she show that without introducing some of them to the world that was so ready to chew them apart? Without communication there could be no compromise on the part of the justice system but such an event would make those hanyou all the more vulnerable because they'd be exposed in their lack of rights, their lack of ability to adequately defend themselves.

So how could she do what would be demanded without placing her friends in jeopardy at the same time?

"I'm sorry if I said something I shouldn't have," Sango's words broke into her thoughts, "but the best way I know to help is to be realistic."

"No, of course, please don't apologize." Kagome exhaled slowly, releasing her tension. "I have to be prepared and you've given me a lot to think about - a lot of things I wouldn't, couldn't have considered before."

Still Sango didn't look pacified. "I said I'll help you with Inuyasha and I meant it. The rest we'll just have to see about."

Laughing low she finally understood. Sango felt guilty, that because she was being hesitant and not immediately throwing her weight fully behind Kagome's cause that she was somehow betraying her and their friendship.

"You're being silly, you know that? Who else would have sat here and listened to me seriously without calling my sanity into question? Who would immediately declare herself willing to help me get a man of a _different species_? C'mon, cut yourself some slack. Besides, this is probably a good thing for me. If I can't convince you when you're a willing party then how could I possibly stand to convince the rest of the world when they're already set against hanyou? If I fail with you then there's no way I'll ever prevail so it'll be a good test for me."

She smiled as she saw the tightness slowly leaking out of Sango's face. "Relax. After all, we're friends right?"

Sango shook her head ruefully. "Kagome, you are one strange, trusting girl."

At that she outright grinned. "Oh, believe me, I know that, but I never claimed to be normal or sane now did I? Besides, you know that's why you like me."

Sango laughed, a low sound Kagome had never heard before. "You know, I do believe you're right."

* * *

Kagome made her way to Houjo's family clinic, excited despite the obvious drag to her step – an unfortunate result of exhaustion. She did a quick calculation in her head and figured she'd had a grand total of thirteen hours of sleep in the last five nights. It was just her luck that she had a huge paper due in one law class the same week she had a test in another. There had also been the very intricate lab she'd had to prepare for in the one class she'd kept up at med school.

It was rounded out by spending all of her spare time doing a self-imposed clinical, which taxed her more than anything else. Even if she'd stayed on track going full time to medical school she wouldn't have started clinicals, following doctors around and learning in-field, until a couple years further into the program.

Still, at the moment her favorite thing was to spend time there. She pushed herself because she felt _useful_, something she desperately needed to balance out feeling so impotent to help Inuyasha's situation in any significant manner. Plus it took her mind off things in an odd sort of way. It was peaceful, the ordered chaos of the clinic, the easy role she fell into, even the exhaustion that kept her from laying awake at night wondering about things she couldn't control.

Houjo's family was just like him, giving, caring, and obligingly sweet to the point it was almost obnoxious. It always made her smile though, and she knew they were made to create a clinic like this; they were so good at easing the nerves and fears of their patients. It had surprised her, though, how easily they had taken her in.

His mother focused more on holistic medicines, giving patients recipes to make at home, or doing massages and acupressure to ease muscles to allow things to flow more evenly. Kagome watched her with interest, always having heard from Houjo about his mother's odd remedies, but never having seen them enacting – and with such good results too.

His father was the main doctor, taking care of cuts, bumps, and more serious cases. He was representative of everything she expected from a modern hospital – from depending on and being surrounded by the high-tech imaging machines to the sterile environment and everything in between. What surprised her most was that after only a week of having her shadow him he had her start on stitching her first patient. She'd practiced on pig-skin in class but hadn't touched a live human yet, and he was asking one of his patients to just trust her out of the blue? What if she hurt them?

"Mr. Nokuba is in here quite often and is quite used to getting stitched up in all manner," he leaned over to whisper conspiratorially, though she knew he spoke loud enough he intended for the older man to overhear. Kagome looked between the two of them, concern flashing in her eyes. Was he a masochist? He was still rather robust and healthy looking, even though his chart did age him at 67, but could he be a cutter? It just didn't seem to fit.

He laughed as he patted her on the shoulder. "Oh, not to worry. Mr. Nokuba is the neighborhood butcher but his grip and aim just aren't quite what they used to be." The man in question just rolled his eyes, in a grandly theatrical way of course, giving Kagome to believe this was an old subject between them. "Besides, he doesn't have much sensation left in that arm so if you prick him a bit too hard he won't mind."

Mr. Nokuba puffed out his chest and slapped his right palm flat against his left forearm, just above the cut. "I promise you couldn't do any worse to me than I do to myself." He smiled winningly. "I am your willing pincushion, Miss…"

"Higurashi," she said belatedly. "Kagome Higurashi."

"Miss Higurashi, then."

And that had started her practicing, with exaggerated patience and care, on the clinic's patients. They seemed to have adopted her just as Houjo's family had and they started to ask for her by name, to inquire about her day to day life, keeping up on the goings on with her family and such. It was a little community that she had grown to love and knew she couldn't be without.

"Good work today," Houjo said, walking into the break-room with a smile a mile wide.

Kagome had just walked in herself and wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand. Her last patient had been a small boy, only about four years old, who had gotten a nasty cut across his chest. It had taken excruciating effort to keep him calm all while giving him nineteen tiny stitches and getting him to accept a tetanus shot. That was without the extra pressure of having to perform for a room. Both Houjo's parents had been there, along with both of the boy's and one of his grandfathers.

"Thanks. I really feel like I'm starting to catch on to everything, and I really have you and your family to thank for the opportunity. Otherwise I'd have had nowhere to practice."

Houjo shuffled his feet, preparing himself for his next words. "You know, my parents were reluctant to take you on at first. I really had to convince them, but now they couldn't be prouder."

"You had to work _hard_ to convince them?" Kagome scrunched her brow. "Why would you go to so much trouble, especially for someone so green in the field? If you really needed help here I'm sure there were plenty of other, better candidates for it."

"I did it because it's _you._" He looked surprised that she didn't know this. "I wouldn't have pushed so hard for just anyone. You're passionate about this, you really care about the patients and you're good with them. Besides, I just liked the excuse to spend the extra time with you."

Houjo flushed but plunged on. "What I mean to say is, well I mean, would you like to go out with me?"

Kagome gaped. "As in, on a date?" When he nodded she felt her heart plummet down around her stomach. "Houjo, oh Houjo. What I mean is…well, that is to say…I'm sorry. I can't."

He just smiled on blithely, taken aback but not surprised, so Kagome thought he couldn't understand. "I mean, if that's what all this was about, showing me how well I'd fit in with your family…Of course I appreciated the opportunity and I like your family…I like _you_, just not like that. Um, oh my, if you went to all that work just for this then I'm sorry to let you down but I just _can't_."

To her utter astonishment he just shook his head, still smiling, although now she could see the definite rueful tone in the set of his lips.

"You're in love with him, aren't you?" he asked.

She hedged. "Wh-who?"

"Your tetsudai."

"What would make you think that?" She was nearly incredulous. How in the world had he caught on? She'd been so careful, hadn't thought she'd mentioned much about Inuyasha or the Bacana Shrine in particular, and if he thought she had hanyou on the brain she'd hoped he'd just figure it was due to the incident of one dying literally in her lap.

He cocked his head to the side, contemplating. "Why would you deny it?"

Kagome spluttered at that. Houjo wasn't supposed to be that observant. Okay, she supposed that maybe he did have to be, what with the profession he was following, but he just seemed so sweetly oblivious most of the time. Apparently he'd seen right through her though. Just how transparent was she?

"I-I," she stuttered, "it's complicated." Yeah, like not being fully acknowledged by the other party, or having your relationship frowned on by all parts of society, or the fact that Inuyasha was nearly owned by a _shrine_ of all places. It wasn't like she could parade him around on her arm, declaring that he was with her. In his absence any public declaration on her part would only open her up to even more invasive probing, questions about her true motivations for hanyou rights, whether it was just a selfish initiative other than an altruistic movement. She couldn't stand if she herself were a hindrance to any possibility of having hanyou freedom realized in the near future.

She shook her head. There were just too many reasons, but she supposed maybe it was just easier to not think about it. The fewer questions she had about her love life the less she had to ponder over it herself, the less time she had to give herself over to worry. Sure, it was avoidance and denial, but she could live with that for the moment.

"What could be so complicated about it?"

Kagome nearly laughed aloud at trying to cram all her thoughts into an explanation for Houjo. Maybe it just really seemed simple to him, maybe he expected it would be easy, just like a relationship between the two of them would be. Two students, she already got along with his family, and most of all both _human_ – no objectionable content there. The fleeting desire for life to really be that easy came but went just as quickly as she shook it away. Inuyasha was worth the fight, and so was everything else she'd learned along the way just because things were so complicated. She couldn't begrudge the fact that her eyes had been opened so wide, even if it meant she wasted a few years pining for someone who'd never come around.

Outwardly she just shrugged. "There are plenty of things, most I can't really go into." She eyed him speculatively. "I can trust you, right?"

His eyes turned serious. "Of course."

She had to smile that he hadn't gotten offended at her words. She liked that he took everything at face value, that things didn't always have to have a second meaning or underlying insult sewn into the fabric. "Inuyasha's a hanyou."

He looked at her expectantly, as if waiting for her to continue. "So?"

"That's it. That's the big deal – most everything stems from that. He works as a tetsudai only because that's the only way he can survive and he has almost no rights. As you might be able to imagine, that causes plenty of _complication_ right there."

"But you'll work it out eventually, right?"

"I-" she started, confused by his optimism, "I certainly hope so."

Turning he started to pull off his smock and put it in the laundry bin. "Then don't worry. Just have patience and I'm sure everything will turn out as it's supposed to."

Kagome nearly goggled at him. Where had this come from? She'd just rejected the guy yet he was encouraging her in her relationship with someone else. How could she seriously be having this conversation with him of all people? "Houjo, you have to be the most kind, good-natured, honorable guy I've ever met."

His head swiveled around, his face glowing. "Why thank you. Whatever did I do to deserve such praise?"

She chuckled. "Just being you. You have no idea some of the creeps I've met in my day," an image of Kazuma flashed through her mind and she shuddered, "and it just makes the good guys stand out all the more. I'm glad to be able to count you as my friend."

"Likewise."

She sighed. "That being said, I'll go ahead and clear out all of my stuff."

"Why? You planning on going somewhere for a while?"

"Well, I, uh, you said you pushed to get me here because you were interested in me. I don't want to cause any kind of awkwardness by overstaying my welcome." Not to mention she could imagine he'd get both his feelings and pride stepped on a bit with her hanging around, working with his _family, _when her heart was far away.

He blinked at her. "I didn't say that being with you was the only thing I wanted you here for." Cocking his head to the side he continued, "Besides, I thought you just called me a 'good guy'?"

Her splutterings only made his grin spread. "I've known you quite a few years, if you'll remember." That she did – they'd met about nine years earlier. "I've been watching you nearly as long."

She wasn't sure how to respond to that – or even whether she found it sweet or vaguely stalker-ish – so she kept her mouth shut.

Laughing ruefully he said, "I don't think you ever even noticed that this is far from the first time I've hit on you."

At that she balked. "No way, are you serious? There's no way I could be as oblivious as that."

"I never said I made it obvious – it's not like I ever came direct out and asked you on a date before today."

She ducked her head, vaguely abashed.

"The point is I knew you weren't getting the hint because you weren't looking for such behavior from me – you really had no interest in me in that arena."

"I- I'm so sorry. How long…?"

He chuckled. "Perhaps it's best if that's left unsaid."

She just kept from grimacing at the realization that this must have been going on for some time – and that she, the idiot that she was, hadn't had any idea.

"Anyhow, as you might guess, after all that I know you pretty well." At her tentative nod he continued. "For instance, no one was really all that surprised that you wanted to go into medicine considering how much you like to help people. Many, though, were surprised that you opted to become a doctor instead of a nurse or researcher just because of how much school was involved. You haven't exactly made any secret of the fact that homework – maths and sciences especially – wasn't your favorite thing to do. But I know you just want to do as much as you can and have as little as possible get in the way."

Kagome had, in fact, had many questions directed her way about just that. Even her family had wondered aloud about her motives. She hadn't been able to explain her reasoning to her mother but they supported her decision in any way they could – she just lucked out with having such wonderful people surrounding her.

"I always figured you wanted the power and freedom to do as much as you could. You'd hate being under the rule of a doctor who may or may not care about the patients, telling you what you could or couldn't do for them even if you didn't agree."

She stared at him astonished for a moment. How had he just put word to what she'd had so much trouble explaining? And in two sentences no less. She chuckled softly, shaking her head.

"Anyhow, what I mean to say is that I'm interested in you as a person, as a friend, and as a fellow medical student as well. You really care about people and that's what makes a good doctor and the kind of person we want here at the clinic. The other motive," he shuffled his feet and averted his eyes as a blush crept up his face, "well that was just a bonus on top of everything else.

"So please don't say anything about leaving. You're good with the patients and everybody here loves you."

Whether or not he meant that as a reprisal of his earlier confession Kagome wasn't sure but she suddenly had to look away. Yes, it would be slightly awkward but he'd already proven he would be a supportive friend and she really liked the clinic and the people. She shouldn't leave such a great opportunity just because she might worry about her interactions with Houjo from time to time. Besides, she'd really only considered leaving for his sake, right?

"You sure you're okay with this?" She had to make sure so she wouldn't doubt herself later.

The grin he beamed at her was all the answer she needed. "Of course. Like I said, you're almost part of the family now, so I don't see what problems there could be. Unless you _want_ to leave?"

She laughed at how they were dancing around each other, both trying to be polite and not step on the other's toes. "I like it here. If you're not worried about things getting weird then neither will I."

"I'd like that. I value your friendship and both my parents and I definitely appreciate all the extra work you give here."

"If you're sure…"

"Besides, I promised you tutoring lessons, right? It's much more convenient to be able to meet here sometimes."

She shook her head, smiling ruefully. "Thank you, Houjo."

"Speaking of which, did you finish all the work I had outlined for you?"

Groaning meaningfully she made her way to her locker and pulled out her books.

* * *

**A/N:** *falls over dead* Yay, this chapter is finally done. Man was it a killer. As always thanks to the lovely Akihana for her beta services and to all the wonderful reviewers and supporters out there who encourage me to keep going, even with deadly, killer chapters ^_-

And I wasn't going to mention this but since so many people keep asking…yes I'm still having all sorts of crazy medical problems, so it's hard for me to get around to writing much. I do have good portions of the next three or so chapters done but as slow as I'm going my updates will probably stay few and far between. Sorries.

P.S. Many thanks to kokoronagomu for pointing out a couple errors. Yay fixables!


	21. Indoctrination

Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler

* * *

**Chapter 21: Indoctrination**

- to instruct in a doctrine, principle, ideology, etc., esp. to imbue with a specific partisan or biased belief or point of view.

* * *

Inuyasha paced restlessly in his room, trying in vain to keep his frustration at bay. Kagome's birthday had come and gone, it was three days past _damn it_, yet she was nowhere to be seen.

She'd kept up with her letters religiously and he'd received one a week throughout the duration of her absence. The last one had been a week and a half prior, though he hadn't expected one this week since she'd been supposed to show up_in person_. The letter before the last one she'd written excitedly about her upcoming birthday and then she'd signed it off with '_see you soon, counting down the days!'_

Everything pointed to her having expected to be there on time. Now with her being three days late and having sent no notice he was moving quickly past annoyed and frustrated to flat out worried. One swift kick to the foot of his bed and he cursed virulently.

That was it; he couldn't stand it any longer. He was going out of his mind. Either he'd find her in need of help and he'd do everything in his power to be of assistance, or she'd better have one hell of an excuse for forcing his hand like this. Making him worry. _Keh! _he scoffed. He'd never have bothered with anything of the sort before he'd met the girl; she was making him soft.

Rushing out the door, weaving his way through the Shrine and then the town with all the stealth graced to his nature, he didn't know which way he hoped to find her. He certainly didn't want her to be in trouble but the only other option would mean he didn't mean as much to her as she continually purported and he found himself now faintly hoping that he _was._

He scowled. No matter which way he looked at it the girl was trouble.

* * *

Kagome sighed as she helped Eri off the subway. They had been more crammed than usual with a lot of commuters getting off work at that late hour, and the tension in the air around her friend certainly wasn't helping. She supposed she couldn't blame her though; she was sure she'd be even worse if she had to worry she might be pregnant.

Of all their little group of friends it surprised her Eri was the one she was accompanying though. She'd always assumed if the situation ever came up it would be with Yuka since she was the most sexually active among them. She supposed there was just no accounting for luck though. Eri didn't think she was pregnant but she was significantly late and she knew she simply wouldn't be able to sleep well until she knew for sure.

Eri hadn't wanted to go to the hospital alone and she didn't want anyone else to know either until she was sure. After broaching the subject with Kagome she'd waited until she had a free time rather than go to another friend. In addition to the potential embarrassment from her predicament she'd already heard Kagome harping endlessly about birth control. If this scare turned out negative then she'd most certainly be switching to the contraceptive anyhow so she didn't need, or _want_, to hear the lecture again from yet another person.

Eri grasped her hand tightly as they walked through the hospital doors and Kagome winced as her grip tightened when she had to explain the reason for her visit to the receptionist, then again to the nurse. Shown to their own little room Kagome patted Eri's hand soothingly while they settled in to wait for the results.

* * *

Inuyasha was panting lightly from the hours it had taken him to reach the area where Kagome lived. He raced through the town, darting from rooftop to rooftop, drawing on his memory of his month at Kagome's house, the particular scents he'd come to recognize during the time, as a beacon to find her. Finally he was familiar with where he was and he made his way to the shrine through the surrounding forest, bypassing the wide open stairway.

At the back door he sniffed delicately but it didn't seem like Kagome was there. Wanting to double check, just to make sure the overwhelming odors of the area weren't playing with his senses, he decided to poke around. First he padded over to the storage-shed-turned-room they'd occupied for his month there, lingering just a moment longer than necessary as he remembered his times there. He peered through the windows of the main house, even those on the second story, but still couldn't find any traces of her there.

"Inuyasha?" a surprised gasp came from the courtyard below him.

He spun warily, crouching low on the roof and keeping his back to the wall. As soon as he spied the intruder, though, he relaxed his guard immediately. "Mrs. Higurashi?"

She held one hand across her chest, obviously still startled at his appearance. "What are you doing up there? Why don't you come down, dear?"

He held where he was. No reason to lose the high ground – after all, he wasn't sure if anyone else was around – or invite conversation when he wanted nothing more than to find out where her daughter was and go after her.

"Where's Kagome?"

Her mother looked perplexed, her eyebrows crinkling. "Why she's at the hospital, but she's just there to support a – " She didn't get the words out before he was gone, far enough away she was sure he couldn't hear her lamely finish, " – support a friend."

"Oh dear," she muttered.

* * *

Inuyasha followed Kagome's scent to the subway entrance but didn't go any further on the trail, unwilling to trap himself in so confined a space with so many humans. Besides, he knew what hospitals smelled like – they all reeked of antiseptics and he'd have no problem detecting them from a distance. He'd just try for the nearest one and if he didn't pick up on Kagome's presence then he'd move on to the next one. He moved fast enough that it shouldn't be too hard.

He lucked out at the first one he came to. He smelled her at the entrance and followed her trail, disregarding the stares and shouts of outrage that surrounded him. If Kagome was hurt then they could all go to hell if they tried to keep him from her.

Before he knew it he barreled into a room, staring wide eyed at Kagome and another girl he didn't recognize in the least, but he disregarded her for the moment. His eyes hungrily raked across her, searching for any sign of injury, but when he didn't see anything and couldn't smell anything off either he relaxed minimally. There was still the question of why she was at a hospital, of why she'd avoided him and neglected their meeting time.

"You-you're fine," he stated blithely, needing to hear her confirm what his senses were telling him.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome gasped. "I, uh, yeah, of course I'm fine. What are you doing here?"

He backed into the doorway, flustered now that he'd found her, especially with someone else, and was unsure of what to do with himself. "I heard you were at the hospital-"

Eri's slightly hysterical voice cut across his. "What is _that_ doing here, in my room?" she asked, pointed shakily to him.

Ears pinned back he tried to make a hasty retreat but Kagome caught at his arm. "_His _name is Inuyasha – he's the tetsudai I've been telling you about for ages now. Why do you look so surprised?" He didn't miss that Kagome's friend was now glaring murderously at her and he tugged lightly, trying to get free from her without hurting her, but she only tightened her grip.

"I never thought I'd have to actually see the hanyou." The way she spit the term like a curse-word confused her.

Kagome's brows burrowed. "Why are you talking like that? What has he ever done to you?"

Eri glared at her. "He's a _hanyou_, what'd you expect?"

"You don't like him because he's half human and half-youkai?" she asked, disbelieving.

"Of course," Eri snorted, adding with a muffled mumble, "stupid half-breed."

"But Hinako at school was half-Chinese and you never had any problems with her. In fact you still hang out with her sometimes, right? So what's wrong with having a mixed heritage?"

She crossed her arms, as if daring Kagome to argue with her 'common logic'. "He's disgusting and a monster. I thought you'd have more sense than to bring him into civilized company."

Kagome actually took a step back. "From the way you're acting I don't think I would consider this civilized company. What's going on? I've talked about Inuyasha plenty of times with you and you've never said anything."

"That's when I thought you still had sense. I thought we had the same view of them and you were just slumming or playing the martyr as part of your worship ritual or some other sad reason for staying with him. I mean, come on Kagome, he has dog ears! It's unnatural and disturbing. I can't imagine how you can possibly stand bedding him."

At that comment Kagome went straight past confused into furious. "Then I'd appreciate it if you didn't imagine it."

Eri's face was turning pink. "Why are you getting mad at _me!_ That's rich from the girl who brings a beast like that to a friend's doctor's appointment. What are you getting so upset about anyhow? What's the point? He's just a novelty – you'll get over it quickly enough."

Kagome felt Inuyasha flinch at Eri's words and she squeezed his arm gently. "Well I can assure you he's not a _novelty_, as you so eloquently put it. I'm with him to stay but if you don't like it we can leave."

Eri gaped at her. "But what about my results? I need someone here for this. You can't think of leaving me."

Kagome's eyes softened but she remained firm. "We stay together or we leave together. I won't stoop to making him leave just because of your prejudice." _Besides, you may need me, but in this situation he certainly needs me more._ "We have plenty of other friends you can call so it's your choice whether or not to be alone in this."

"You can't actually mean – you'd choose a _hanyou_ over me, your friend for eight years?"

Kagome didn't blink as she replied, "In a heartbeat."

She turned to usher Inuyasha out the door but Eri called after her, accusingly, "He must be a damn good lay!"

She didn't even pause as she answered, "The best." She all but marched down the hall, pulling Inuyasha along with her. It hadn't slipped past her notice that he was breathing quickly, still trying to jerk out of her grasp, though she supposed his concentration was too far gone since he hadn't succeeded. She willed them both to stay calm so they didn't have to deal with this in public.

Finally, spotting her destination, she picked up her pace. She pulled him into the family restroom, flipping on the light and locking the door behind her. As she let go Inuyasha flung himself away from her, backing up against the wall next to the door. Unwilling to look at her, to have _her_ look at _him_, he slid down the wall, slinging his arms around his knees and burying his face between them.

"Inuyasha…" she hedged, unsure where to begin.

"Just go," he ground out, catching her off-guard. His breathing was still shallow, his voice panicky. "Go, you can fix whatever just happened with your friend there. You don't need to lose someone over this." The words '_over me'_ hung silent in the air.

She hunched in front of him on the balls of her feet and touched her forehead to his. "Oh, Inuyasha. Knowing me, do you honestly think I could do that? She had no right to do what she did, to say what she did, and I couldn't bring myself to be friends with someone who held onto such blatant prejudices."

"But it's my fault," he said, his voice vicious, and she could sense the self-loathing building in him.

"No, it wasn't. It was_ her _fault, or even mine for not being surer of the company I was keeping, but not your fault. Never your fault."

He made no move and she sighed. Slowly she lifted her right hand to run softly through his hair, needing the contact for herself but knowing instinctively he would reject any skin-to-skin touching.

"You know, what I said back in there was true." He stiffened and she knew he'd latched onto the right part of the conversation. "It wasn't hard to choose between the two of you and if the situation comes up again I'll continue to make the same choice."

She felt his automatic recoil. "That wouldn't be your fault either – it is entirely up to me what I do with the relationships in my life so don't try to take credit or blame for anything I may or may not do. I can't stand by and just idly watch such baseless rejection and hate.

"But just so you know I'd do the same if one of my friends reacted like that toward a youkai or a human who was somehow different from us. This isn't _just_ about hanyou or about you – it's about me standing up for what I believe in. So please, don't blame yourself for what I just did, it's really not you."

She knew the deepest part of his fear though, knew only time would help cover it up. He still worried she'd 'wake up' from this delusion she was under, grow bored of the novelty of him, as Eri put it, and then she'd come to find she'd sacrificed so much, too much for someone she no longer even wanted and she would hate him for it.

"I didn't make that decision just because I want to be with you though." His posture didn't change but she felt his focus shift, becoming singularly focused on her, as if looking to find falsehoods. "I can't deny that's part of it, but mostly I did it just because you have done nothing to deserve such treatment.

"You are one of the most singularly amazing creatures I have ever met and it still astounds me that people aren't willing to see that simply because of your parentage. You are beautiful, Inuyasha, inside and out, and you deserve better. All hanyou do. And if you aren't willing to stand up for yourself then I will. I won't now and I never will stand beside someone who has to demean others to feel better about themselves. I know you deserve better than this and I won't accept anything or _anyone_ that stands in your way."

He was still deathly rigid against her, betraying nothing about what he was thinking. She willed him to understand her words, to accept them. She needed him to believe in himself, to believe in her. Then without warning he caught her up against him, near to crushing her in his grasp, his breath rasping harshly in her ear. She responded immediately, throwing her arms around his neck and pulling him tightly against her, willing waves of reassurance to him through her embrace.

Unfortunately, with the way Kagome had been hunched in front of him she was now pulled at an awkward angle and within a minute her legs were dead asleep. She would have given anything to not have to break the moment and say anything but she feared her legs might actually give out and she'd fall, and she knew that in the unsure state he was in he'd find some way to be embarrassed and angry at himself for it.

"Uh, Inuyasha? Can you let go for just a second?"

He pushed her away, his expression panicked. She tried for a wry smile which she felt failing miserably on her face. She couldn't say anything about her legs falling asleep though so how to word it? "I just want to shift around so I can hold you better."

He threw her a skeptical glance but didn't otherwise say anything as she moved to sit between his knees, her legs thrown on either side of his waist. With her feet up scrunched up against the wall she still wasn't the most comfortable but all she cared about at the moment was being close to him.

She wrapped her arms around him and pulled tightly to her, their bodies flush with one another. "How are you even out here? Why'd you leave the Shrine?"

He held her tighter, refusing to voice his motivation now that it came to it. "Your birthday passed."

"Yes." That didn't alleviate her confusion. Had he wanted to come do something to celebrate the occasion? The possibility touched her but not the fact that he'd risked himself. Still, she doubted that was it.

"You never showed up, despite the fact you said you would." She heard the accusation in his voice.

"Oh…oh. Inuyasha, I normally show up two weeks after my birthday."

His cheeks burned and he was embarrassed at how stupid he must seem. "Well your letter said 'see you soon' and I didn't get another one this week," he said defensively.

It slowly dawned on her. "You were worried about me."

"No-no I-" he spluttered but she silenced him with a gentle squeeze.

"Thank you," she whispered.

They tapered off into silence, content to stay in the comfort of each other's arms.

* * *

Kagome jumped slightly at the knock on the door. She wasn't sure how much time had passed sitting in the bathroom, a few moments or a half hour, but knew it was long enough that somebody was bound to be suspicious.

"Are you alright in there?" The voice was muffled by the heavy door but Kagome thought it might be the nurse that had talked with Eri and her.

"Yes, I'm fine," she called out, hoping the woman hadn't noticed she'd taken someone else into the room with her. She wanted to be able to leave quietly and unnoticed.

"You sure? I've noticed the door has been locked for quite some time." Only the concern obvious in the other woman's voice kept Kagome from going into a full-blown panic.

"I've just got some rather bad, uh," she winced, "indigestion. I'll be out in a minute. Nothing to worry about." She dragged herself up from the floor and walked over to the sink, turning the water on, hoping the nurse would get the hint.

"Well, alright then."

She thought she heard footsteps but she wasn't sure so she turned to Inuyasha. "She gone?" she whispered. At his nod she immediately jumped into action. Shutting off the water she grabbed his hand, all but hauling him off the floor, then raced to the door. Snibbing the lock she carefully peered into the hall to make sure no one was paying attention to them. Seeing all was clear she pulled him hastily behind her and took up a quick pace toward the hospital exit.

Almost immediately she felt the lag behind her of Inuyasha pulling back on her hand. Worried she twisted her head around to look at him, though she didn't slow. He pulled more forcefully until she almost had to stop.

"Walking fast draws attention. If you want people to ignore you then you gotta blend in, don't do anything to stick out."

She nodded, aware that he would know, and allowed him to anchor her speed. They made their way uneventfully outside and as soon as she could find a shadowy corner she pulled him into it. Facing him she stared pensively up into his face, just keeping herself from reaching out to graze a finger down his cheek. He looked too tense, just a little too blocked off and walled up to accept such a gesture from her.

"I'm sorry," she repeated, knowing nothing she said or did could erase what had just happened.

He tried to be nonchalant and shrug it off, but he still didn't look at her and held himself too stiffly. She didn't know what else to do other than get him home but it was turning evening and she knew the subways would be packed, not that he'd want to go that route even during off-peak hours.

Instead she gently drew his hand into hers and started down one of the smaller side streets at a sedate pace. It would take them a while to reach her house but they were in no rush for anything.

Twilight deepened and the shadows lengthened enough to obscure in the part of evening just before the street lamps flickered on. They took comfort in the darkness, in the anonymity of it, and held quiet as they walked.

The erratic shuffling of feet broke the silence just before a harsh voice grated out, "Stop! Let her go!"

Kagome spun to see two policemen bearing down on them, their guns glinting in the low light.

"I said let her go, you filth!"

She realized he was staring at their joined hands and, though she didn't want to, she immediately broke their grasp, not wanting the situation to escalate. Placing herself squarely in front of Inuyasha she glared at the approaching men.

"What is your problem? We're not doing anything illegal – we're walking down the street! Hardly anything worth drawing your guns for."

She caught the words as one of them whispered to the other, "She's clearly delusional. The shock of the kidnapping must've gotten to her."

Kagome saw red. "I'll have you know I am perfectly sane. Further, I am _not_ being kidnapped. What on earth gave you that impression?"

The cops shared a look and edged closer to them. "He's a hanyou, miss," the second one said in a low, soothing tone.

"I am well aware of what he is," she snapped. "That doesn't automatically make him a kidnapper. Besides, to be abducted you have to be unwilling and I assure you that he needs no coercion to get me to go with him."

While she glared at him the other policeman made his way around her side and with a sudden movement leaped out at her, snatching her arm, and pulling her away.

"What – what are you doing?" she yelled outraged. She struggled against his hold but she was no match for his strength. Only when she saw the other man point his gun at Inuyasha did she realize what was going on.

"Let me go you jerk!" she yelled, kicking out at her captor, but even as she made contact and heard him grunt he didn't release her. "Inuyasha's done nothing wrong! Just let us go..!"

She saw the cop aiming and started to panic. She stared at Inuyasha but he'd frozen in place, a snarl on his face. She'd thought he'd have run off at the first sign of trouble, not wanting to risk falling into a rage and hurting one of the men, but his gaze was fixed on her.

With a gulp she realized that he was unwilling to leave her with men who had not only threatened him but held her against her will. She wanted to scream at him to run but she recognized the stubborn gleam in his gaze and knew her words would do nothing other than alert the policemen to his possible actions.

He looked, though, like he was about to forget all his years of self-preservation and possibly attack the man who held her and she couldn't let that happen. It would be a disaster not even the Shrine could – or would bother – to save him from.

The policeman wasn't lowering his gun. In fact his glare was hardening and she feared that he was about to pull the trigger any second. She knew Inuyasha was fast but she didn't know if that included being able to dodge a bullet and that wasn't something she was willing to risk, so she did the only thing she could think of.

"Osuwari!"

Inuyasha plummeted face down into the pavement, an impressive crater resulting from the impact.

The policemen goggled. She took advantage of their surprise and pushed away from the one holding her, once again getting between them and Inuyasha.

"You were about to make the worst mistake of your lives," she told them darkly. "He," she motioned to the ground behind her, "just so happens to be one of the tetsudai from the Bacana Shrine."

They started and she knew she had their attention. "Yes, the Bacana Shrine. You know, the one with all the power, money, and influence? I'm sure they'd be _really_ happy if you did anything to harm one of their most important tetsudai, not to mention the one hardest to replace."

"He's…a…_tetsudai_?" the first man asked, clearly aghast. "But he's hanyou!"

"Not at the moment, he's not," she countered. Crouching down she tugged gently on the rosary, exposing it to their scrutiny. "See these? They declare that at the moment he is human."

They snapped from their haze at those words, moving in closer as if coming to the conclusion that she'd been spinning them a tale and had just taken it a step too far. "Human? Yeah, right."

"You're welcome to call the Shrine right now and verify everything I say if you doubt me, but I hope you'd be wise enough to not bring it to their attention that you very nearly had an altercation with their prized tetsudai. For all that they are a Shrine they do not take harassment lightly and I'm sure they would make you wish you'd never heard of them before they were done with you."

That halted them in their tracks and they looked hesitantly at each other, trying to gauge her veracity.

"And yes, I said _human_. The Shrine is very aware that there are ignorant jerks such as yourselves who would take it upon themselves to 'punish' him for merely being hanyou, even if he'd committed no crime. Therefore to make it possible for clients to take him off property certain safety measures had to be taken.

"Now did you or did you not see how I spoke a single word and he was subdued?"

She waited, forcing them to answer a grudging 'yes' before she continued. "Then is it not obvious I can stop him before he gets into any mischief? I am therefore responsible for all of his actions since I have the power to prevent them. Since he is held accountable under my name that makes him under the jurisdiction of human law for the time being.

"As I said, you can call the Shrine. This is all by-the-by, and as of right now he is officially and legally human until these beads are removed."

She stood, brushed herself off, and faced them fully. "Now can you imagine what repercussions there might be for holding, harassing, and almost shooting two unarmed citizens, both of whom are legal _humans_ at the time? Not very good for your careers, I can promise you that."

The two men were visibly nervous, hesitating as to their next move.

"I'd suggest that before you accost any other hanyou in the future that you check for the presence of a rosary first. Or maybe just try asking questions at all, since there could easily be other ways that a hanyou would be under a different legal heading at the time. Knowing the full legal status of the other party in such an infraction would be imperative and a good way to keep yourselves from getting into trouble, ne?"

The second policeman threw his hands up in the air. "Fine, have it your way."

The other looked at him askew. "You sure about this?"

"Yeah. If she's telling the truth there's nothing more we can do anyhow, and I don't know about you but I'm not one for crossing the Bacana Shrine. And if she's lying…" He shrugged. "If the beast does anything to her we'll know we did our part to help her. It's her fault if she doesn't accept it but our consciences will be clear." She wasn't sure but she thought she heard him muttering something about Stockholm syndrome.

The first cop still faltered, hesitating to leave her there alone with a hanyou. "You sure about this, miss?"

She nodded emphatically. "Yes, I'm positive. Now leave us alone."

With one last, hard look at her both men turned and left, leaving her with Inuyasha, who was still on the ground.

"Inuyasha?" She pushed on his shoulder. "Can you get up yet?" His muffled cursing was answer enough and she sighed heavily as she sat next to him. The mood had been tense enough already before those cops had bumbled across them. She was inordinately glad she'd been able to get rid of them so relatively easily but she cringed to think of the method she'd had to use.

If Inuyasha had been upset at her using the rosary that one time to keep him from fighting with her grandfather then she could only imagine how mad he'd be now that he'd been subdued in front of those two jackasses.

Without warning he suddenly sprang up and moved instantly away from her. She stayed motionless, unsure what to do next, only moving when she saw he hadn't paused in his stride. She scrambled after him, jogging slightly just to keep him in sight.

They were in such deep shadow that she almost walked right into him before she saw he'd stopped, hunching over so his hands were on the ground. "Get on," he grumbled.

She took one quick, unsure look at his back before she climbed on unsteadily, aware of how precarious her position was until his arms took hold of her. As soon as she felt his touch she immediately felt secure. "Where are we going?"

He hoisted her up a little higher and leaped up in the air, using the window covering from one building to launch himself onto the roof of the one across from it. He ran across the buildings, all silence and predatory grace. It was a while before he answered her, but whether he'd been deciding what to say, focusing on his acrobatics, or merely ignoring her she couldn't be sure. "Somewhere. Anywhere. Away from here."

She leaned forward until her cheek rested against his shoulder and closed her eyes, losing herself in the rocking motions of his movements. She was content to follow him wherever he needed to go.

It was sometime later when he came to a stop but Kagome had no idea how long they'd been traveling since she hadn't checked the moon's position while they'd been in the city, if it had even been visible. Now it shone brilliantly down on them, illuminating the entire forest canopy and she would've loved to soak in the view but she was too preoccupied with watching Inuyasha.

"Stay here," he ordered, and before she could get a word of question out he was gone. She didn't have to wait five minutes though before he was back. "C'mon," he said, motioning to his back. "We gotta go deeper in."

She nodded, though she was unsure what he meant, but climbed on quietly anyhow. They repeated the measure twice more before he was apparently satisfied with the location. They were in much denser woods and he'd dropped her off in the only available large patch of moonlight around.

"You'll be alright here?" he asked gruffly.

"Yeah, sure, I'll be fine. But where are you-"

He cut her off. "I'll be close by. Yell if you need anything. Other than that stay put."

She opened her mouth to ask him what was going on but he was already gone. It wasn't long though before she heard the sounds of cracking wood and splintering trunks. She'd never heard a tree break from punching, kicking, slashing, or whatever he was doing, but the sounds were unmistakable.

Swallowing with difficulty she sat, her back to the only tree base that was illuminated by the small patch of moonlight. She tried to pull her mind together, to figure out what she could say to him when he returned to fix the horrible events of the night but she knew there were no such magical words.

Time passed and, lacking anything to do, she almost wished she could go to sleep. She'd never be able to though, not with Inuyasha pounding away on the surrounding foliage, not to mention that her mind continued to churn and her conscience began to weigh heavily on her.

If it hadn't been for her he wouldn't have been in either of those situations. Without her prodding and influence he never would have bothered to leave the Shrine and wouldn't be confronted with such abject hatred and unfounded prejudice anywhere he went in public.

She wasn't aware that all the noise had stopped until he was right in front of her again. She was on her feet instantly, grabbing his bloody hands. His knuckles were mangled and, though she knew it was nothing to him and that he'd heal within a couple hours, she couldn't help but worry.

Raising one to her lips she kissed it gently, whispering, "I'm so sorry."

He wrenched his hands from hers and growled. "Would you stop apologizing already, wench? I'm the reason you got accosted by those bastards! They only had it in for you because they thought you were insane for defending a fucking hanyou!" He seethed a moment and she swore she heard him mutter, "I think you might be too."

She wasn't about to let him turn this around on himself. "It's because of me you were out here in the first place – because you were _worried _about _me._"

"I wasn't worried about nothin'!" he snapped defensively.

She cast him a disbelieving glare. "Still, if I'd been more specific or clearer in my letters you wouldn't have had been subjected to any of this. Not to mention I'm such an idiot I didn't even think about getting you to cover your ears! I'm sure there would've been something I could've picked up in the hospital gift shop to conceal you well enough that you wouldn't have been accosted tonight."

"Will you stop it! It's not your fault I was born the way I was."

"Well it isn't your fault either," she countered, effectively ending that argument.

She cupped his face gently and slowly his breathing calmed to a normal pace. "Inuyasha, it's nobody's _fault,_ because that implies that something to be guilty for. There's nothing wrong with being hanyou and you shouldn't let anyone tell you otherwise. You should always hold your head high in pride for who you are."

He snarled at that. "What, I should be proud that because of what I am I got you in trouble?"

Sighing she shook her head. "There are always going to be people who look down on you just because they like to feel good about themselves. You can't help that, but you can remember where you come from. Your parents loved each other, even if circumstances were against them, and they wanted you. It would do you good to remember that." She didn't realize that she'd never actually spoken to Inuyasha much of his parents, having gotten all of her information from Ryu, but neither of them noticed the slip up in the moment.

Inuyasha was silent a moment. It was on the tip of his tongue to open up to her about his mother, about how his existence had made her life a living hell, how much better off she would have been without him, how watching her deteriorate before his eyes had nearly killed him, but he just couldn't do it.

"C'mon, let's get out of here," he grunted eventually. "I've got to get you home."

"All right, Inuyasha," she said, grasping his hand once more, "let's go."

* * *

He left her as soon as they passed the lintel to her house. She'd tried to convince him to stay but he'd refused. She had continued to press him – after seeing him she was nearly bowled over with how much she'd missed him – but he'd also run all the way there and hadn't had any rest yet. When he'd grudgingly brought up the fact that he had left without any notice and the Shrine probably wasn't any too pleased about it she relented immediately. She didn't want to even ponder the possibilities of what would happen were the Shrine unhappy with him.

They'd parted with only a stilted goodbye, a promise to see each other in a week and a half, and a lingering hug that Kagome felt she'd had to force him into at first but he quickly melted into. When he pulled back he was gone almost before she was able to focus on his figure.

She sighed, willing herself to stop staring after him and go inside. She'd see him soon enough yet somehow ten days seemed interminably long now that he'd dropped so dramatically back into her life. Grumbling to herself she made her way into the kitchen, sure that now her thoughts would be full with nothing but him – and she'd been doing so good, dang it!

Flipping on the light switch she noticed there was a message on the answering machine.

"Hey Kagome, this is Sango. Give me a call back. I think I found out some information that will be rather…interesting to you."

Glancing at the clock she saw it was approaching midnight so she headed up to bed, determined to call Sango when she woke up the next day. Although considering how long it would likely take her to fall asleep she figured that might be later rather than sooner.

* * *

Kagome met Sango for brunch at a neighborhood café. While she waited for her friend to show up she wondered about the odd tone that had been in her friend's voice on the message the previous night. When she'd said 'interesting' she hadn't been able to discern whether that was in a good way or a bad way.

Having worked up her curiosity she nearly jumped up from her seat when Sango entered the door. Her nerves being what they were she barely managed to retain her hold on her drink without spilling it and she laughed at herself, waving to her friend who was amused by her antics. Grabbing her own drink quickly she joined Kagome at her table in the corner

"It would seem I piqued your interest, ne?" she asked with a wry grin.

"Of course – though I'm just as curious about whether the news is good or bad."

Sango shook her head. "That's just the thing, I'm not really sure. It might not even be of any purpose at all but I stumbled across the information and thought that it could possibly be useful to you."

"Well," Kagome encouraged, "what is it?"

"You remember how we were saying it'd be good to know about all different types of people who work at the Bacana Shrine, to know what standard they kept for employees – that kind of thing?"

"Sure. I'm not sure how it'll really help though."

"I can't be sure either but it seems better to try everything and have a few leads turn into dead ends than leave anything unexplored. I know you'll likely have a couple suggestions through your friend Ryu but he'll likely be biased about who he sends you to. It's just better to get as many bases covered as possible, even if it does end up leading to nothing. At least then we'll have tried, right?"

Kagome mused. "That certainly does seem a smarter way to go about things. So what is it you came across?"

"I actually found a sample case where a human male was sent to the Bacana Shrine instead of jail as his punishment. Seeing how a 'prisoner' of sorts is treated should be an interesting basis for comparison."

Kagome's eyes widened. She recalled now how she'd heard that most of the ningen tetsudai weren't there by choice or were performing some sort of penance but she'd forgotten all about that little detail.

"What was his crime?"

Sango shrugged. "The record is vague; all it states is that there was a trial and this was his punishment. It can't be anything too serious or dangerous though otherwise they'd never put him in a position where he'd be coming into such close contact with innocent civilians on a regular basis."

"That sounds odd for there to be so little information."

"It was only a note, a general reference cited in another case, not the actual court record. I haven't had the time to try to look that up – have you seen the amount of records in our library? That's if it was even a large enough case to garner the interest to be in any of the major books. It's somewhere though and it shouldn't be too hard to dig it up. If not we can always just ask him about it."

"So, what? You thinking we should just call this guy up and ask him all about his case? I doubt he'll be that interested in sharing his criminal record." She supposed she could always just go in and talk to him while she was physically at the Shrine, she jus hated the idea of taking one of her nights away from Inuyasha. Maybe if she just spent the first couple hours of the night with the guy?

Sango drew her from her thoughts. "Actually I was thinking that I'd go with you to the Shrine so that I could speak with him. You are set to go in a little over a week, right?"

Kagome stared. Sango actually looked nervous. She didn't think she'd ever seen her look anything near flustered in all the time she'd known her. Was it the idea of going to the Bacana Shrine that was doing this to her or speaking to the tetsudai? "I am going but if you're not comfortable with this there's really no need for you to push yourself."

She waved her concern away. "Don't worry about it; I'll be able to take care of myself."

Kagome eyed her warily. "If you say so…"

Sango lifted her coffee in a mock toast. "It's settled then."

Suddenly a spark of inspiration came to Kagome at what such a situation could do for them. "If you're planning on coming to the Shrine would you be willing to stay the whole night?"

"Why would I want to do that?"

Kagome chuckled, more than aware that her friend wouldn't be utilizing any of the Shrine's services. "This way you could meet Inuyasha and I can start proving to you that hanyou aren't brainless morons! Er, a small warning though: he can be quite surly around people and could possibly either snap at you or just try to ignore you altogether. You just have to remember what kind of life he's had and give him a little extra grace."

"Why would I have to wait until the next day to meet with him?"

"Because we're likely to be busy for the entirety of the Shrine's operating working hours."

Sango blushed to the roots of her hair. "Oh, of-of course, right," she stammered, her fingers fidgeting nervously with her cup.

Kagome stifled a laugh. "It might not have been as bad if we hadn't seen each other yesterday but I doubt now that we could have a concentrated chat with you before getting some time to ourselves."

Sango nearly spit out her coffee. "Wait, hold up a minute. You saw each other yesterday?"

"Unfortunately it wasn't exactly the best of reunions." Double checking the café to make sure no one had moved over in the course of their conversation who could now overhear, she proceeded to tell her the entirety of what had happened. She was surprised at the ferocity of Sango's reactions – from wincing to visible anger – something amazing from a woman who seemed so in control of herself all the time.

"That's despicable. I may not know whether I trust them or not but no one deserves that kind of treatment – that's just outright prejudice and we're supposed to be above all that at this point!"

Kagome sighed irritably. She knew that humanity had gotten past its racial prejudices for the most part but sometimes she wondered if that wasn't due to maturity but was instead because they'd found something to side together against. "It's almost like we're programmed to belittle others to make ourselves feel better," she continued aloud. "First it was other people groups, then demons. There's no love lost between our groups but at least the governments pretend to treat each other as equals.

"I wonder if that's part of the taboo. Hanyou are seen as proof of someone defecting to the 'enemy', that someone could care enough for someone of another race to create a child with them. Despite governmental assurances I'm sure that for the most part human and youkai don't really get along, they just tolerate each other."

All of a sudden she sat up straighter, seeming to remember who she was talking to. "Sorry, Sango. I didn't mean…"

"Don't worry about it. I'm fully aware I have some resentment toward youkai, that I'm more likely to approach them with distrust than anything else. I also know not every single one of them is untrustworthy, but I can't help but be wary because of my past. Doesn't mean I walk around hating the whole group of them, though, or anything that can possibly be spawned of them.

"I even have a neko-youkai for a pet, so there's proof for you. Kirara kept me sane through some of the more trying times so I know there are redeeming qualities in all types."

Her eyes nearly crossed as she stared at the tip of the finger Kagome was suddenly jabbing near her face. "You have a youkai for a pet?"

"Yeah. Did I never tell you that before?"

Kagome slumped back in her seat, exasperated. "No, you didn't."

"Sorry," she smiled. "She's a ferocious little thing though and I'm glad to have her around."

Kagome just shook her head and then gasped suddenly. "I can't believe it! I almost forgot!"

"What? What?" Sango asked, worried about her friend's sudden reaction.

"I forgot to ask you the tetsudai's name, the one you're planning on meeting at the Shrine." She thumped her palm against her forehead.

Sango chuckled at her antics. "Miroku. His name is Miroku."

* * *

**A/N:** As always, many thanks to Akihana for the once-over.

Also thanks to all reviewers for encouragements, well-wishes, and crit. To those who found last chapter a bit confusing or non-sensical I hope it will play out better as events unfold in the next few chapters. (Please feel free to tell me if it doesn't. Just because something makes sense in my head doesn't mean it necessarily translated to print. Oi.)


	22. Determination

Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler

* * *

**Chapter 22: Determination**

- The ascertaining of the character of something  
- the quality of being resolute  
- deciding or controlling something's outcome or nature  
- The settling of a question or case by an authoritative decision, especially by a judicial body

* * *

Kagome was a nervous bundle of tension as she strode into the court next to Sango, both eagerly anticipating and dreading this appointment. Sango had been working for months to get her case heard by the Middle Court, researching and preparing, making call after call, dealing with transfers and long waits. Now she was finally having her first hearing and had somehow managed to make Kagome her rider, so that Kagome could have her own case heard as well without having to go through all those months of red tape first.

Of course, given that she was the secondary party, she wouldn't be given as much time to state her appeal. Still, just the mere fact that she'd been allowed in such a place and that Sango had given her such an opportunity had her in awe – and of course, severe trepidation.

Kagome'd had to hastily throw together what she wanted to say to the court, what she thought she could possibly get away with. If she thought there was any possibility that she could march up to them and just say, "Hey, give hanyou equal rights you bigots!" she'd do it without a thought. But not only would she probably be tackled by the guards the moment the word 'hanyou' was out of her mouth in a raised voice, she'd probably also be jailed and would only be a detriment to the entire cause. After all, there weren't any other activists as far as she knew, and if she gave the cause a bad name by appearing crazy it would be much less likely to draw supporters.

She drew a deep breath as she took her seat on the hard wooden bench in the courtroom, barely noticing when Sango stepped forward to address the eight court members sitting at the high bench. Her friend hadn't been sure she'd be able to finagle in a rider, thus allowing Kagome to speak her bit, so she hadn't informed her of the meeting until the week prior. Kagome had to admire her tact and her wish not to raise her hopes but thought wryly the timing could have been better. With only a week, in which she had little free time to begin with between working at Houjo's clinic and going to classes, she'd had precious few moments to piece together what to argue and still wasn't quite sure what she'd say when actually faced with the moment.

Suddenly Sango was moving back to the benches to take her seat, sending a significant glance her way, and Kagome stood with a muffled squeak. She hadn't heard a word her friend had said, didn't know if the court had decided in her favor, or even if they'd made a decision yet. She gulped as Sango motioned her forward and she knew it was time to fight for what she knew was right. It might not be in the most elegant manner but any step forward was better than staying stationary.

"Honorable members of the court," Kagome began, realizing she didn't know who to address. She was sure the council member's names had been announced when they entered but Kagome missed it and, though they each had name plaques in front of them, her eyes wouldn't focus enough to read them. All of a sudden she saw her angle and just prayed it would take her in the right direction.

"I wish to ask that my home - the shrine where I work and live - be declared a safe haven."

The court looked perplexed at this and one of the female youkai near the center spoke. "If your home is truly a shrine what need have you to declare it a sanctuary? Tradition dictates that they already are."

Kagome took a deep breath. "Yes, tradition states that, but a good lawyer can get around tradition if it is not explicitly stated in law."

The female youkai, who appeared to be a panther if she guessed right, quirked her brow. "You think you'll have need to defend your home in a court of law?"

"I honestly hope I will never have to but it is always smart to be prepared for any circumstances."

"Then you think you are facing some particular circumstances that may require having a sanctuary." It wasn't a question but a statement, and one that demanded an answer at that.

"I wish to open my home to both youkai and humans, plus all who travel with them." She added the last in her own attempt to include hanyou in any and all decisions made that day.

"And why would you do that?"

Kagome quirked her own brow at that, attempting with all her effort not to appear overbearing as she asked, "Why would that matter?"

The immediate rumbling of the court had her rushing to explain. "I mean, I have no objection to telling you at all, but I'm simply asking for protection for all sentient beings no matter their situation. Whether I have friends over for tea or open an S&M club doesn't change the inherent rights of those participating."

The female youkai glowered at the young woman and, while the other youkai sent the panther speaking glances, they chose not to address her directly. Kagome realized the female must be the mouth of the group, or at least of the youkai half. "You have made your point, though you might want to be more careful how you phrase things in the future. What does that have to do with your situation either way? Unless of course you are planning to open an S&M club, which we might have to object to seeing as you are referring to your home as a shrine." The youkai cut herself off upon seeing Kagome's flush. "I take it that is not your intention then?" Kagome vigorously shook her head. "Well, what is it then?"

"I have made friends with some youkai in the neighboring suburbs." The court looked surprised at this but not overly so which gave her the courage to plod on. "Some of them have children and we have been giving them some lessons. We had been meeting at one of the youkai's houses but we've outgrown it a bit. Plus the youkai have become concerned for my safety walking through their neighborhood constantly. Given the physical superiority of youkai they felt it would be wiser for all parties and inviting less potential danger if we met in a more neutral territory and since my home is a shrine it seems the perfect fit."

Finally one of the humans spoke and he asked, "How did you first meet the youkai, if you don't mind me asking?"

Kagome was startled for a second; she hadn't expected that. "What does that have to do with the case?"

He smiled benignly. "It doesn't, I'm merely curious."

"I simply realized how oblivious I had been to the existence of youkai. My suburb even abuts a youkai community and I had never come across one before. I did a little bit of research, found out that each had laws that basically protected them from each other and that there was nothing prohibiting interaction, so I went exploring. It was all rather interesting and I kept going back, and though some youkai were obviously displeased with my presence and ignored me others finally spoke back to me." It was a slight stretching of the truth but not really.

"Very interesting," he said, sitting back. "You are a very unique young woman, Miss Higurashi. Most people would have been afraid of youkai and here you have befriended them."

She shrugged. "I don't see any reason to be more afraid of them than my own kind. Yes, they're physically stronger, but then again many humans could overpower me or at least harm me with a weapon. If they had the intention then I don't see how a human isn't equally as dangerous as a youkai, if not more so because some are so blinded by prejudice. Nothing I know gives me the impression that a youkai has any more reason to harm me than a human so I don't see why I would be afraid."

"Very intelligent too," he murmured. "I see no reason we cannot grant this request; it seems simple enough." He peered around at his fellow council members and was greeting with nods, shrugs, and words of affirmation. He took out the forms in front of him, carefully perused them, and then signed it, passing it to the chairman next to him. The papers passed in that manner until they stopped in the hands of Lady Shunran, the fourth member in line, when the first male spoke again.

"One last question though – why is this group giving lessons to the children? Is their schooling in some way deficient?"

"Yes," she answered, and the man's look of indulgent benevolence was replaced by one of shock at the sudden coldness in her voice.

"Go on, Miss Higurashi, please tell us."

"They are unable to receive _any_ education on account of the fact that their parents were from two different species."

At that the panther spoke up again. "That shouldn't be. Though it's not very common it's far from unheard of for different species of youkai to mate. If their school districts are displaying undue prejudice…"

Kagome mentally sneered at the use of the term '_undue prejudice_' – as if any type prejudice was ever truly justified. As steadily as she could she corrected the council's misinterpretation of her words. "I wasn't referring to two different youkai species."

She let the words ruminate in the room for a moment and felt more than heard or saw their collective shock. "You mean…_hanyou_?" spoke the human, censure ripe in his tone.

"Yes, I mean hanyou." She sighed inwardly. She'd known the subject would have to come up or her whole meeting with the Middle Court would be useless but she also knew she was now facing a very cold, demeaning argument that likely wouldn't get her anywhere.

"My dear, you can't be serious." And there it was – just with the mention of hanyou she'd gone from 'Miss Higurashi' to 'my dear,' like an errant granddaughter.

Fire flickered in her eyes. "I assure you, I am. There is no reason for them to not have the same, equal rights as their parents. Even as your fellow member, Lady Shunran-" she squinted to read the nameplate in front of the panther youkai, figuring that the youkai must keep the antiquated titles they'd held for so long, "- pointed out there is intermarriage between distinct youkai species, which you could argue are separate but equal, yet there is no movement to disallow their children from any advantages normally given to youkai children. I fail to see the difference here."

An odd look passed over Lady Shunran's face. "One of those children is your own then."

"No, but that doesn't mean I won't stand up for them when no one else will." The youkai sat back in her seat and Kagome could see she had stunned them all - again_._ _Well at least there's something to be said for consistency_, she mused.

The others in the court felt they had found a weakness though and exploited it. "If you have no direct, legal correlation to any of them then you honestly have no legal standpoint on which to demand any changes to the current laws on their behalf."

Kagome could almost hear their collective sigh of relief that they would not have to be the ones to grapple with that very dangerous topic - at least not that day. She quirked her head to the side and gave a wry smile. "I don't believe I was. I merely came to ask that my shrine be declared a sanctuary. As I mentioned earlier, what I plan to do there doesn't really have any bearing on that fact. I will notify the policemen in the area about what is going on to prevent any misunderstandings. I am sure they will watch us like hawks and wish me to my own health for doing something they'll likely consider stupid and dangerous. However, unless any of us does anything illegal they cannot detain us even if we have our meetings without the extra protection of sanctuary status."

She couldn't help herself and glanced quickly at the paper in Lady Shunran's hands, though the youkai caught the movement. "If any of us so much as jaywalks I'm sure we will be held responsible with no leniency but I'm also sure that if any of the policemen abuse the situation you will be hearing about it immediately."

She shrugged. "I'm not asking for your permission to educate them; I don't need that. I simply ask for a status that will make us feel more protected and all the neighboring inhabitants feel more comfortable. That and I felt it would be the proper thing to do to let you know beforehand what I am planning so that the next time I appear before your court, for whatever reason, you'll be prepared."

"You do also understand though," spoke a new, younger human male that she hadn't heard yet, "that if you achieve your sanctuary status that it puts you on shaky legal ground. If, for instance, any of the hanyou, youkai, or humans commit an infraction and then attain your home before they are caught by the police that a special squadron would then have to be called in and that, in effect, your entire household will be under house arrest for the duration?"

Nodding, Kagome confirmed she understood. "To me that seems safest anyhow. Would you really want a ningen street policeman tangling with a youkai or hanyou? That's why the separate forces exist and that's yet another reason that I'm angling for this status. As I mentioned, it's not only a protection for those involved in the schooling aspect. I love and respect my community and wouldn't want to invite any danger to their front door. To me this seems the best case for all involved."

"And the fact that it gives hanyou a modicum of safety is just an added bonus?"

Kagome sucked in her breath, wondering if he was being snide. The younger man's face remained wide and open though and she was curious whether he was truly just making an observation. 'Nobunaga,' his nameplate read and she made a mental note to remember him. "Exactly," she replied, smiling up at him.

"Well then, it seems to me this is a pretty straight-forward request. We had all mostly decided to allow the change in status and with everything Miss Higurashi has presented, especially with what she plans regardless of our decision, I see no reason to deny her. Anyone else?"

No one spoke. After a moment of silence Lady Shunran spoke again. "Then all who are in favor of changing the status of the," she glanced down at the brief report the cleric had offered her when Kagome had come up to speak, "the Higurashi Shrine to that of 'sanctuary' raise their right hands."

All hands went up, even if some were much slower than others, and Kagome was so thrilled she failed to notice the mutinous look from a few of those on the council. Lady Shunran bent to sign the form herself then passed it along. The rest of the tedium and decorum of the meeting passed quickly, almost a blur to Kagome, and when she was on her way out the doors with Sango by her side she couldn't believe that the sun was setting.

When they were finally away from the building she giggled nervously, exclaiming, "I can't believe I did that!"

Sango gripped her arm to make her turn and face her. "That certainly was something else. Do you have any idea what you just did?"

Shakily she wiped at her forehead. "Yeah. I went off on a tangent about how I was basically declaring war with society – and them – over the state of hanyou rights. What amazed me was that their reaction was so mild. I mean it felt like they were just smiling and saying they'd be waiting!"

"You weren't paying very close attention then, were you?"

Kagome shot her a sharp glance. "I guess I wasn't. I was too nervous to focus on much of anything but I thought I was doing pretty well by the end there. Why, what did I miss?"

Sango sighed at her friend. "You may have gotten neutral faces from the ones who you were speaking with directly but there were definitely some angry faces up there. I doubt you'll find them as placid next time when you start actually pushing them into uncomfortable territory, especially now that you've given them time to prepare their own arguments."

Kagome hung her head, exasperated. "I should have known I'd gotten off entirely too easily." Standing up straight she shook it off. "Oh well, it went as well as I could have possibly hoped so that's something to be grateful for at least. The first step is done and now all I can do is look forward. Besides, if they get overly upset about it and it becomes a big issue maybe it'll get some press coverage. We'll be bound to get more sympathizers that way, even if there is more opposition as well. Still, nothing truly changes without the tide of public sentiment. Plus, for them to be angry it means they think I have a chance of actually changing things – if I wasn't a threat in any way then it wouldn't bother them in the least." This last thought cheered her greatly and she smiled, picking up her walk again.

Bemused, Sango shook her head at her friend's cheer, nearly plowing straight into her when Kagome stopped again suddenly.

"Oh, I'm a jerk," she moaned. "I'm sorry, Sango, I'm the worst friend. I wasn't paying any attention at all when you were addressing the court. How did it go?"

"It wasn't a big deal," she assured her as she linked arms in order to get her to start forward momentum again. "I told you before we came that this was just a preliminary hearing to outline some of the paperwork that needs to be laid down first. There are no forms that exist for something like this so we had to agree on something I could even create in the first place – which I suppose is something they must need to do on a regular basis since that part went so easily.

"They appeared a bit uncomfortable with the idea of cross-cultural civil suits but they seemed interested at the same time, which can only be a good thing. After all this I don't think it will be terribly difficult to achieve, just that it will take years upon years of legal documentation and red tape. It won't be fun but I'll get it done."

Kagome smiled at the determination in her voice. "I know you will. And Sango?"

"Hm?" She was distracted already, thinking of a place close by where they could scrounge up some dinner.

"Thank you. I know you didn't have to add me as a rider and that it was a lot of extra work for you to figure out how to do it. It means a lot."

Sango smiled at her, one of those true, genuine smiles that she saw so few of but made her friend's face simply glow. "You're my friend, Kagome, why wouldn't I help you in such a situation when I'm the only one who could?"

Kagome left unsaid the part where Sango wasn't fully and completely behind the hanyou cause yet. She knew that hadn't been the point, but that Sango was pulling strings for her because she was the only one with the advantage.

"I can't wait for you to meet Inuyasha," she said instead, excitement obvious in her voice. "I know you'll just love him. Well, either that or you'll clash like cats and dogs – no pun intended. He's stubborn, brash, and tough so either you two will become best friends or you'll always rub each other the wrong way."

She laughed at Sango's raised eyebrow, knowing she was questioning how she'd implied her personality was the same as said 'brash' hanyou's. "It'll be great. I know we leave the day after tomorrow but I've been packed for a week already!"

"A little impatient, are we?"

She slapped her lightly on the arm. "You know I am. What about you? Are things all set for meeting Miroku?"

"Yeah," she said, showing her nerves slightly. "I'll meet him first, get whatever information I can out of him, then you can come join us when you're, um, through."

Kagome couldn't help but giggle at Sango's blush and discomfort. "Just remember you don't have to do anything – he has no right to force anything on you or even touch you without your permission so you're safe. You could even choose to be in a public room or the back gardens if you'd feel better that way."

Sango slowly shook her head. "That might be possible but I bet he'd be more likely to share his information if there was less possibility of it being overheard. You never know though, maybe he's an open book and the rest of the Bacana Shrine already knows his history. We'll just have to see."

"Yes," agreed Kagome, dragging her along, "we'll see. Now come on, I'm hungry! Let's find some place to eat."

"All right."

* * *

Kagome walked with Sango into the entrance of the Bacana Shrine together and, despite her rush to see Inuyasha, she hung back for her friend's sake. She could sense both Sango's awe and hesitancy. It was certainly understandable: not only did the building resemble a palace - seeing as it _was_ the temple to the deity of wealth, love and prosperity - but it was also something of a shock to walk from the normal world into a place that doubled as a bordello.

She skimmed the large foyer, trying to see if she could spot the tetsudai they were set to meet. As soon as she and Sango had gotten off the train in town she'd called the reception line to request for Miroku to meet them in the front rooms rather than in his own private quarters. Sango was dubious about the safety of meeting a prostitute, even a religious one, anywhere but in a public setting. Seeing as how it wasn't an odd request given that many newcomers liked to meet their tetsudai first before engaging in any worship, Kagome didn't think anything about it when she made the call…until Kazuma picked up the phone.

With a gargled squeak she fumbled the phone before shoving it into Sango's hands, waving her on to take over for her. Sango threw her a curious glance but continued on in what seemed an uneventful conversation, though she did seem to be caught off guard when he asked her age. She answered a hesitant, "23?" which he didn't seem to approve of from the tone of his voice, but Kagome didn't overhear him make any comment aside from his unhappy grumblings. Irritated and thinking back to all her bad experiences with the man, Kagome crossed her arms, assuming he simply must not like it when any tetsudai he didn't like – or maybe anyone other than him at all – had access to any young, pretty clients as worshippers.

Rolling her eyes at the petulant way he behaved, Kagome then proceeded to answer all of Sango's questions about her odd behavior with the phone. She'd mentioned Kazuma and what a lousy character he had before, so as soon as Kagome informed her who she'd actually had been talking to, it made sense. She wouldn't have wanted to deal with such a slimeball either.

Luckily she'd found out Miroku was free for the first spot of the night so he would be meeting them in the lobby. Sango hadn't wanted to make an appointment since she would have felt guilty taking time away from a genuine worshipper when she'd truly be doing nothing to honor the deity of the Shrine, so she had been hoping to be fit in just whenever he had some spare time. She fervently wished it wouldn't take long anyhow.

Now as they walked in Sango spotted the tetsudai and instantly knew it was him, despite all the others milling around the entryway during the Shrine's busy hours. He had an air of careless ease about him, a smile that said he could charm his way out of any situation – or perhaps _into_ any situation might be more accurate as she wasn't sure what crime he could commit that would warrant legalized prostitution as a valid punishment – and he immediately started toward them.

Kagome felt Sango stiffen beside her and nudged her forward. "Remember, you don't have to do anything you don't want to do," she whispered to her in encouragement. "You're the paying customer and can do anything you want – within reason."

Sango glanced toward her friend at the bitter tone in those last words but understood all too well that the situation with her tetsudai was completely different.

"Anyhow," she said, shrugging off the dampening mood, "the point is that this is a business. Granted, it's a religious one, but it's a business all the same and you know they all go by the motto 'The customer is always right'. It's no different here, so please relax before you snap something."

Sango forcibly loosened the muscles in her fingers that were beginning to spasm from how tightly she'd been holding her fist. She eyed the tetsudai walking toward them, hoping his carefree manner would work to their advantage and it wouldn't take her long to get the information they needed. The sooner she had it, the sooner she could take her leave of him.

"Were you this nervous your first time here?" she chanced to ask Kagome, noting that the tetsudai had been waylaid by an older woman who clutched at his arm and looked like she wouldn't be letting go anytime soon. From the familiar way she handled him, Sango wondered fleetingly if that was his mother and, if so, what she thought of her son working as a religious prostitute.

Kagome's chuckling drew her back. "Oh, you have no idea, Sango. I was a nervous wreck. Just remember, as embarrassed and tense as you are right now at least you know you don't have to do anything. I'd been sent here by my _family_ for a full month, so I knew I'd be having to follow through."

Sango conceded the point. Then turning back to the tetsudai still approaching them she cocked her head in puzzlement, causing Kagome to turn as well. The man was almost literally dragging the little old lady as she doggedly hung onto him. As he was almost to them Sango called out hesitantly, "Are you Miroku?"

Only when she finally addressed him did the woman finally give up her clutch on the much younger man, though she gave him a look that was a cross between a huffy pout and a leering wink as she took her leave. After doing so she tottered her way to the other side of the room before leaning against the wall and staring at them pointedly.

Miroku turned to the two of them and laughed, even if it did seem in both relief and nervousness, and neither woman was quite sure what to make of him. "Ah, you must be the ladies I was sent out here to meet. I wasn't aware there would be two of you – the kamis have declared me a lucky man tonight." He said it in such a heartfelt manner that Kagome couldn't help but laughing, even after she received a reproving look and slight nudge in the ribs from her friend.

"No, no, I'll be seeing my regular tetsudai tonight. You're going to have the pleasure of Sango's company all to yourself."

He turned his full attention to her then and Sango had to work not to fidget under his gaze. "I daresay that won't be any hardship at all now, will it?"

Sango, uncomfortable with where his mind had obviously wandered, hurriedly changed the subject. "But what about the lady you were just with – we must be holding you from something important if a woman her age is coming to speak with you this late at night. Who is she, your mother or grandmother or some other relation?"

Miroku choked and bent over slightly, leaving his face hidden to her behind his hair. He put one hand to his chest and, though his shoulders shook lightly, he held up his other hand to wave them off. With great effort he pulled himself together and was amused by the two completely different reactions he saw from the two women in front of him. The one going to the other tetsudai was looking highly amused, if not slightly scandalized, and he gathered she knew exactly what was going on.

The other though - Sango, he reminded himself - looked worried, as though he'd just had a coughing fit, but also obviously questioned his sanity at his reaction. He'd have wondered at her naïveté but her bearing belied such an innocence. Still, he didn't see how the situation could be anything other than blatantly obvious. That said, she intrigued him as much as her staid air amused him.

"No, no relation at all, and she has nothing of importance to speak to me about. It will hold for another time and, believe me, there will be another time. So think no more of it. Now, if I recall, my manners have been quite remiss. I need to introduce myself: my name is Miroku, humble tetsudai and servant to the kamis and any pretty ladies who happen upon my way."

He smirked and neither woman had trouble believing he had any difficulties with the latter part of his statement. "I haven't the pleasure of your name yet." He looked pointedly at the younger of the two, and Sango only shook he head when Kagome seemed even further bemused by his gallantry.

"Oh, I'm sorry. My name's Kagome. It's nice to meet you, Miroku."

"And I you." He then turned slightly to give his full attention to the other. "And you, then, are the lovely Sango. It is especially nice to meet you." At that he picked up Sango's hand and kissed the inside of her wrist – a very forward, bold move but nothing out of the ordinary for a prostitute, she supposed. Still, Sango turned bright red and stood even more stiffly so that Kagome had to stifle her giggles with her hand.

"Well, since you two are getting along so well this seems a good time to take my leave. After all, I have my own reunion waiting."

Sango saw the barely contained excitement and jitters in her friend and, though she wished she could prevail upon Kagome to stay just a moment longer while she got her bearings around this obviously lecherous man, she knew her friend had already given more time than she should have. Sango didn't want to make her wait any longer and with a smile told her, "Go on, then. Oh, but do try to remember to say 'hi' to him sometime tonight for me." She made a little shooing motion with her hands, if for no other excuse than to extract hers from where Miroku was still holding on, and Kagome needed no further encouragement. She all but ran to the entry hallway on the other side of the reception room.

With a little sigh to steel her nerves, somehow just knowing the night was going to be trying with this overly-charming tetsudai, she turned back to face him. "So where can we go that we can have a little privacy?"

He appeared a bit confused by her question. "All the tetsudai are given private quarters, of course. Is that why you're so nervous? You don't have to worry about any kind of audience or interruptions."

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I know this must be unconventional," she pondered the irony of such a statement in a brothel – they probably weren't high on convention there, "but I really just want to talk. No touching, no worship, just information."

Miroku took a step back to assess her. "And what would this be about?"

She looked around nervously, not wanting to out him in case his situation wasn't explicitly known around the Shrine, but also not wanting her reasons for needing the information to be overheard. "Couldn't we go somewhere first? Anywhere _besides_ your room?"

"I'm afraid that's the only way to get me to talk at all." He smiled widely and she narrowed her eyes in suspicion, wondering what he had up his sleeve.

"I know I won't be taking advantage of your…_services_, but I am still a paying customer and I was under the impression that what we did during the time I paid for was determined by my preferences. If I choose to talk and to be somewhere other than your room what difference does that make?"

"The difference is my willingness. No tetsudai has to do anything he doesn't wish to do, within reason of course." Sango studied him further, wondering whether in that last sentence he indicated that he didn't know of Inuyasha's existence or just didn't bother to deign him with the dignity of being grouped with the rest of the tetsudai. Or was it just in reference that only those in undignified positions - like Inuyasha as a hanyou or himself as a criminal - had certain restrictions placed on them versus those that were there completely of their own free will? She shook her head; they certainly had a lot of talking to do.

Miroku sighed resignedly and turned her to face the old woman across the room who still watched them like a hawk. "Another difference is her. She is one of the nosier old biddies I have to deal with and she _will_ follow us to make sure we go into my room and that I am most decidedly occupied for the evening. If not she will go and complain that I am avoiding her because of her age – which I most decidedly _am_."

Stunned, Sango turned back to him, appalled comprehension showing across her face. "You can't be serious."

"I most certainly am." His grimace put all her doubts to rest.

"She's one of your customers?" Even to herself she sounded disgusted. "But that's…" She didn't want to say it aloud.

"Revolting?" he supplied for her.

She blushed. "I certainly didn't want to say so, but yes. She has to be eighty!"

"Seventy-one at last count."

"I'd be doing you a rather large favor if I were to seclude myself with you in your room."

"That you would."

"I haven't agreed yet." She considered that it could be a trick, something to make nervous new customers more comfortable with their tetsudai, but his relief was too palpable for her to believe that. "You'll owe me – you'd be in my debt."

"Yes, yes," he waved her concerns away. "But you'll come with me?"

She sighed heavily, knowing very well she might come to regret her decision. "Yes, I'll come."

"Then," he said, grabbing her elbow, "let me show you the way."

* * *

Safely ensconced in his room, Miroku immediately spun to face Sango and she backed up against the door. He didn't stand close to her, only held onto her hand, but she felt crowded by his presence.

Miroku quirked his head in interest. Normally someone with their back to the wall demonstrated a certain…vulnerability, but that wasn't at all the case with this woman. Her chin was tilted up and the determination in her eyes made him wonder what she was so set against and whether he might be able to breach her mighty fortifications.

"Now, now," he said, gently patting her hand, "you look like you're expecting me to attack you. Whatever would give you cause to fear me?"

The suggestion had the desired effect and now her eyes were blazing. "I do not _fear_ you, I'm merely wary of what you might expect and do as a result. I simply want to talk but you might have, er, other ideas."

His face was the epitome of innocence as he asked, "What would make you think I had 'other' ideas?"

She hesitated a moment, wondering if she'd misjudged him, but then she caught the spark of amusement in his gaze. "Perhaps the fact that I came here with you instead of that old woman – and that you seem entirely too happy with the switch."

"Who wouldn't be?" He shrugged nonchalantly. "Besides, for your saving me from such an unsavory situation wouldn't it do better to be thankful?"

"Unless your idea of thanking me would be in sexual favors-"

"I hadn't thought of that," he mused, rubbing his chin. "What a good proposition though."

"-_Or,_" she continued from where he cut her off, "you might want to take advantage of the situation since it was presented to you."

"And what situation is that?"

She sighed, gesturing to herself sharply. "Having me here, someone your own age, as opposed to someone who could be your grandmother."

He tsked. "My, my, what a high opinion you have of yourself," he ribbed, gratified when she flushed. "To think, you see yourself as this ravishing beauty no man can resist." He winked at her. "You wouldn't be far off the mark."

Sango spluttered and he was glad to see the chink in her composure. "I never said any such thing and certainly never claimed to be a 'ravishing beauty.'"

"Ah, but you are," he said, turning her hand over in his and rubbing his thumb in circles on her palm. "Don't you know?"

She stuck her nose in the air and ignored him, moving on. "Why are you stuck with all the older women anyhow? That is part of your punishment, I presume?"

He regarded her once again, more curious than ever. She had neatly sidestepped his question, showing no compunction about her own beauty. She hadn't agreed with him, which showed she wasn't vain or flattered. Neither did she disagree with him though, which would have dragged out the topic and either marked her as someone who fished for compliments or someone who couldn't accept them. He wondered if it was that she had no regard for her own vanity at all or that she had no regard for him. The puzzle of the woman before him certainly made him wonder about what he'd find if he prodded just a bit deeper.

"The grandmothers?" she prompted, not entirely comfortable with how he'd been looking at her.

"Ah, yes, them. Well, that certainly is an interesting tidbit, wouldn't you agree?"

She nodded hesitantly. After all, that was what she'd come to the Shrine for.

"Then I suggest a trade – I'll give you something you want if you give me something I want."

Immediately her interest damped and her eyes narrowed. "And I suppose there might just be a tacit physical nature in those things you desire?"

"Not necessarily," he chided. If she got this backed up over the mere idea of it he didn't want to risk her running away if he decided to actually act on any perverted impulses. "What's to say I couldn't request information about yourself? I'm hardly likely to force you into anything you don't desire, you being the customer and all." He threw the last statement to her like a lifeline, giving her some semblance of balance and control over the situation. She grasped onto it gratefully.

"If I'm the client then why do we need to do an exchange of any kind?" she asked, thinking about Kagome's experiences with Inuyasha. She knew Inuyasha wasn't under normal treatment but Kagome's stories were all she knew about the workings of the Bacana Shrine. As such she wasn't entirely sure what leverage she had to wield over the man in front of her. He certainly made it appear that he didn't have any over her though, which went a long way toward helping her relax. Besides, if she didn't have to keep her guard up she'd be able to focus more on the questions she had for him.

He smiled winningly and she felt herself softening just a shade more. "One, to make it more sporting and a bit more fun. Second, since you seem completely against treating me as a prostitute," his mouth quirked and she wondered suddenly if he actually appreciated that fact, "then I suggest we might be able to act as friends, or at least as acquaintances getting to know each other."

"I think that could work…" she said hesitantly, then seeing his smirk she instantly straightened her spine. "Yes, that'll work just fine. I'd like that," she added, offering her own smile. To her surprise he then proceeded to drop her hand and back away, throwing out his arm in a large sweeping gesture.

"Then welcome to my humble abode, dear Sango. Make yourself comfortable wherever you like."

She looked dubiously around the room, taking in the crisp-looking bed, the old armchair in the corner, and a couple of stools and chairs around the room that didn't look all that comfortable. With a shrug she made her way to the armchair. It was honestly large enough to hold them both, which led her to cast a skeptical eye over it regarding its cleanliness, but there was nothing for it so she sat down. She knew at least the bed linens would be clean, but she still didn't completely trust this tetsudai.

"So you were saying, about the women?"

He pondered that a moment as he grabbed one of the stools and pulled it close to her, taking a seat and leaning an elbow on the arm of her chair. "You guessed it was a punishment. Is it safe to assume then that you know the circumstances that led to my current situation?"

Sango fumbled and looked down at her hands. "Well, I know you were convicted of a crime, though I have no idea what for or how long ago."

"Fair enough. This tidbit will likely make this more interesting for you then – I was convicted for sexual harassment."

She stared up at his non-plussed face and began to laugh. "That is just too ironic – that must have been one character of a judge you had to sentence you to something like this. I assume that's where the long talked about grandmothers come in then – it wouldn't be much of a punishment if you were sleeping with young, attractive women for…how long?"

He grimaced. "Almost two years."

She was working to control her chuckling now, reigning herself in. "That really must be bad then. I'm sorry," she choked out, though he was sure he was referring to her behavior and not his punishment, "but I must say that's the most creative, appropriate punishment I've ever heard of. Has it turned you off sex forever?"

"With old biddies? Most definitely. But sex itself? Never."

Cocking her head, she asked, "What about when you're an old man yourself then?"

"That'll depend on if I have a wife and how attractive she is." His smile was so unreadable she had trouble deciphering whether or not he was teasing. "Do you always make a point to discuss the sexual habits of your new acquaintances?"

Her eyes lit with horror when she realized what she'd been doing and her face turned a brilliant red. "Of course not! I'm sorry, I didn't realize. It's just we were talking about your sentencing and then the conversation just took its natural course-"

Miroku broke her train of thought with his own chuckle and she realized he'd been having fun at her expense. Her eyes narrowed and he held up his hands in supplication. "Peace!" he cried and she sat back in the chair, arms crossed, looking for all the world to Miroku like she was sulking.

Oh, but what an amusing turn of events.

"If you're so uncomfortable here why bother coming? What could you need to know that's so important to you?"

Sango shifted in the chair. "Like I said, I just have some questions to ask you – mostly about your treatment by the Shrine and such matters. We already have some idea but figured the more we know the better – and you were especially interesting since I knew your working here was an alternative to prison."

"We?" he queried.

"Yes, Kagome and myself."

"And just what might these matters be?"

Sango stiffened. "That's for Kagome to say. I'm merely helping her as a friend."

"Ah, but didn't we agree to a method of give and take?"

Flustered she fell back on her normal defense and glared at him. "I think I've given you plenty of information already. Besides, it isn't my information to give, nor are they my secrets to share."

Miroku sat back. "Fair enough." He could feel she was still slightly tense so he stood and walked across to the corner opposite the bed. "Care for a drink?"

She craned her neck around, surprised to see he was standing in front of a mini refrigerator. "Uh, sure?"

"Water, tea, or something stronger?" He waggled his eyebrows at the last suggestion but Sango didn't notice, taking in the entirety of the room and its details now that she wasn't as worried about the intentions of its occupant.

Yes, there was the one bed, but the linens looked expensive. Then there was the multitude of chairs, the appliances – there were more than just the fridge but she wasn't sure she recognized the use of all of them – and a door in the corner opposite herself. "What's through there?" she asked, pointing at the doorway.

"That?" He looked at her like she was slightly slow. "That's the bathroom."

She stood quickly and walked over to inspect the room and was amazed at its luxury. There was a massive shower with three shower heads and a tub that could easily fit four people. It was simple in elegance but showed real taste. Backing out of the room she felt her mind reeling.

Miroku picked up on the change in her mood, even if he couldn't account for it, and launched into explanation. "Of course this isn't the best room or best bathroom in the Shrine - I am a criminal after all - but it seems to serve quite well. I've gotten very few complaints – none of which were about my performance, I might add." He waggled his eyebrows again, hoping she might notice this time, but she only gazed at him dumbly.

"This is normal?" she whispered, and his heart broke at her anxiety as much as he was confused by it.

"What is it?" he asked in complete seriousness, dropping the charm from his manner.

"Inuyasha doesn't even have a bathroom, let alone anything comparable to this." She spread her arms wide to encompass the whole of the room.

Miroku took a step back from her. "Your friend, Kagome, she goes to see Inuyasha?"

Sango nodded, still staring around the room.

"I wouldn't have thought you to be friend with someone like _that_," he nearly spit out, and the cold fury in his voice shocked her. "I don't know much about hanyou but I know that absolutely no one deserves to be treated that way." To his utter amazement and further disgust Sango actually smiled at his statement.

Closing the distance between them she clasped her hands around his own where he'd clenched them together and shook them slightly. "You have no idea how happy that makes me to hear."

He couldn't decide between shock or aversion at her words so he stayed silent. "You don't understand yet, but you will," she reassured him. "Kagome is nothing like any of his other clients – otherwise why do you think I'd be so shocked, upset even, to see how you live - as a criminal no less - in comparison to him?" She was deciding how much to tell him, figuring it was safer to leave out the little fact that Kagome was in love with the hanyou and working to achieve equality for his race. "She's trying to get him better treatment, or possibly even get him freed."

"Free him? What would that do? Could that even benefit him? How else could a hanyou make his way in the world?"

Sango shrugged, unwilling as of yet to give any more information to someone she didn't know very well. "There are always possibilities. But that's why we're trying to find out so much information about the Shrine; we're both law students and we're hoping to find a loophole to help him out in some fashion. From what she says, he's treated absolutely abominably."

Miroku agreed. "He is. I can tell you the few times I've seen him he's usually not in the best shape, and I take it you know what I mean by that. He tends to stay mostly to himself though - not surprising, all things considered - and I've never actually talked to the guy directly."

"Me either. I'm supposed to meet him tomorrow though."

His eyes lit with intelligence and Sango wondered if she'd said too much. "She wants you to meet him, eh? She must really like him then."

She marveled at his ability to see things so clearly, worried that maybe she'd revealed too much, and realized it was too late for worries on that account. "As long as you don't tell Kazuma I see no problem with you knowing that."

Miroku's face darkened. "I don't think there's a single person here who really likes Kazuma. Don't worry, I won't do anything to jeopardize your efforts to make his situation a little more humane."

"'_Humane_'," she repeated softly. "That's just the problem though, isn't it?"

They were both quiet a moment and only when Sango looked down did she realize she still had his hands clasped in her own. "Oh!" she nearly shouted as she dropped his hands, face flaming. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize…"

Miroku grinned at her then, a completely predatory look. "You know what I think, Sango?" He took a step forward and she took one back.

"Wh-what's that?" she stuttered, suddenly nervous.

Another step forward, another back. "I think you should let me kiss you."

"What? Why? Why should I do that?"

Forward-retreat, forward-retreat, until Sango was caught up against the bed. "Because I want to." He applied gentle pressure to one shoulder and her knees gave way, sitting her on the bed. "And because I think you might want to as well."

"Huh? What? No! No, of course I don't," she protested. She fisted her hands against his chest, pushing at him, but with only part of her strength. "Wait, you can't do anything I don't want, right?"

"Oh, but you do," he murmured, and she tried again.

"No, but, wait-" her words died when he placed one soft, gentle kiss on her cheek, trailing his lips across her nose to her other cheek, pushing firmly against the skin before letting her go and standing up straight.

"Now," he smiled down at her, gratified to see he'd silenced her, "that wasn't so bad, was it?"

Her hand traced its way across the path he'd made on her face and he was happy to see her fingers were trembling just slightly, just as he made sure to hide his own shaking hands behind his back.

"No, I guess that wasn't so bad," she whispered.

Immediately she knew it was the wrong answer to give as a wolfish grin spread across his face. "Then by all means, let's continue where we left off." He leapt on her and she yelled at him as his arms were wrapped around her, hands planted firmly on her butt, his head lowering toward hers just when the phone rang.

Sango pushed him off her easily and reached for her bag, only to realize the ringtone wasn't right. She glanced around the room looking for the phone but was puzzled when the sound seemed to be coming from the wall.

"Just my luck," she thought she heard him mutter as he went to open the panel, and she couldn't help but smile at his manoeuvres being spoiled so effortlessly. To her surprise though he motioned her over before placing the receiver in her hand.

"Yes?"

"Sango?" came the voice on the other end. "It's Kagome."

* * *

**A/N: **Thanks to Akihana and PitaBread for the great help.

Thanks to all you lovelies as well for continuing to follow the story despite my horrid update schedule. Unfortunately I don't see myself being able to get my act together much better so I'm expecting I'll probably only be getting a chapter out once every other month. My apologies. On the bright side - hey, I'm not giving it up ^_-

Cheers and hope you enjoyed!

P.S. – I probably should've been saying this all along, but all of the definitions for my titles come from dictionary dot com.

Oh yes, and I almost forgot! Lady Shunran is based on one of the four youkai of the neko clan that were out for Sesshoumaru's blood. I never would've recognized their names so thought I'd throw in this little tidbit here for you guys who, like me, otherwise wouldn't have known.


	23. Apprehension

Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler

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**A/N: **Be forewarned that this chapter get a little graphic regarding Inuyasha's lifestyle. (Really, what would you call it? It's not really 'violence' since I'm only showing the after effects, so what: warning for post-violence gruesomeness? Sure, we'll go with that)

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**Chapter 23: Apprehension**

- Anticipation of adversity or misfortune; suspicion or fear of future trouble or evil.  
- Acceptance of or receptivity to information without passing judgment on its validity, often without complete comprehension

* * *

Kagome's excitement overtook her the closer she got to Inuyasha's room until she was nearly running to wrench the door open. As soon as she was inside she spun to close the door softly, make sure it was locked tight, and gather herself together before facing him. The fact he hadn't made a sound since she entered, that there was no warm reception waiting for her, struck her as slightly odd, but she hoped it was because he was just as tongue-tied as she. As she turned though she realized just how wrong she was. Instantly she saw she'd just walked straight into a nightmare, only she knew this one all too well.

She didn't realize where he was at first, thinking there was simply a bundle of red cloth lying on the bed. However the distinctive sheen of his hair and the shiny tint to the red made it impossible to deny what she saw.

Inuyasha lay sprawled out across the bed on his stomach, grizzled almost beyond recognition. His head was turned toward the wall but he didn't move when she stepped toward him, showcasing to her the extent of his exhaustion. His ears perked up though and she knew by now that he could identify her by smell so at least she didn't have to worry he thought she was someone else.

Trying to make as little noise as possible, knowing his injuries often made his hearing more sensitive, she softly made her way over to him, careful not to move the mattress in any way lest it jostle his injuries. He didn't actually look quite as cut up as he had the last time she'd found him like this – instead whole sections of flesh had been peeled back or gored out - and there was definitely more blood. He was completely covered in it, with barely a patch of clean skin showing through and his hair matted down with the sticky substance.

Multiple wounds across his back were still seeping blood and she knew that could only mean one of two things: either the wounds had been inflicted very recently, which she doubted since she knew she was the first client of the night, or he'd been exposed to so much harm recently that his body was having trouble keeping up with the taxing demands for healing itself. The thought made her blanche, to realize the latter must be true and he'd been in such torturous situations for a few days at minimum, possibly even going back to it right after she'd seen him last.

She shook her head, unable to dwell on it at the moment. He'd bled out so much the sheets were soaked as well and, unless she guessed wrong, the mattress beneath him was probably in rather poor shape too. There was no way a pathetic little sponge bath could take care of such a mess and she gratefully grasped at having something to do.

She spoke softly, guessing he likely had a horrendous headache from the sheer amount of blood loss and not wanting to aggravate it. "Inuyasha, I'm just going to go get something, okay?" Getting no reaction she softly touched his shoulder simply to reassure them both. Once at the door she glanced back at him, cursing even this short time she had to leave him. "I'll be right back," she whispered, then was on her way.

As soon as she was in the hall her eyes turned blazing hot and she marched at a rapid pace toward the front desk. She barreled right through all the people in the lobby and shoved her way up to Ryu, not caring that he was in the middle of a conversation with someone else.

She held out her hand to him and demanded, "Keys," in a no-nonsense tone that had him nearly gawking at her. Immediately knowing what must have happened and not wanting to bring any more attention to the situation he quickly went into action. He forced himself to walk sedately back to the store room where he and the other Shrine employees kept their personal belongings, fished out the keys to his apartment, and strolled back to her as if nothing was wrong. All the while his insides were a torrent, wondering how bad it was that she needed to get the hanyou out of the relative safety of his own room.

Keeping his eyes averted he nonchalantly tossed the keys to her. "Sorry about the mix-up," he mumbled, hoping to cover his tracks for any overly-curious onlookers from the group in front of them.

Kagome couldn't be bothered to care as she instantly spun on her heel and pushed her way back out of the group. Pausing to collect herself once again outside Inuyasha's room she tried to shirk herself of the anger she was sure was present on her face. It certainly wouldn't do to have him seeing her like this. Taking a deep breath she walked back into the room and straight over to Inuyasha, who looked like he hadn't moved even the tiniest bit since she left.

"I'm going to have to ask you to get up now," she said, trying her hardest to keep the sadness from her voice, knowing he would interpret it as pity and thus as his own weakness. She sat on the bed next to him when he still didn't move and she shook herself to be more business-like, seeing that she'd have to push him. "Look, I know you probably don't want to do anything, let alone get out of bed, but I've got to get you cleaned up. I know you heal just fine on your own but we can't let any infection get sealed up in there, which is very likely to happen with old blood festering on you."

She took the hand closest to the edge of the bed and gave it a little tug. With a start he turned his head toward her and with her coaxing she eventually got him standing. He swayed lightly where he stood and she gathered the blood loss was even worse than she'd imagined at first. Leaving him propped against the bed she rummaged in his closet for a black sweatshirt and pants. It was really too hot to be wearing such clothes outside but she knew his first concern would be keeping himself and his situation covered from peeping eyes.

She winced as she manoeuvred him around to get the clothes on him, even more when she had to pull them against his already damaged skin, but all in all they managed. Once he was fully clothed she grabbed the pitcher of water always at hand and used one of the rags to clean his hands and face, then pulled the sweatshirt's hood up over his head, careful to cover any traces of blood that might give him away.

He didn't make a sound the whole time. Only when she lifted his arm over her shoulder, his feet still unsteady beneath him, and started toward the door did he finally speak. "Where...going?" he rasped.

"I'm taking you to Ryu's apartment to clean you properly." She pulled the keys from her pocket and dangled them gently for him to hear. "He should have a shower so we can get you a bit more sanitized."

He merely grunted his acknowledgment and Kagome took that as approval to continue, not that she'd really expected any arguments from him in his current condition. Oh, she knew he might mope about it later, but for now he couldn't summon the energy to bother arguing with her.

Having spent enough time in the city, and being bored or simply not interested in the other ways to kill the daylight hours, she'd spent endless amounts of time mapping the labyrinth of halls in the Shrine and where each one had an outlet into which courtyard. She'd never expected her wanderings to come in quite this handy though.

Taking what she hoped would be the least-used paths this time of night she wended her way to the back of the Shrine, going the long way around the connected healing temple since she now knew they preferred to keep daylight hours as much as possible. It was a long, circuitous route that pained her to have to drag Inuyasha through but she knew he'd further appreciate the privacy.

Finally they arrived at Ryu's apartments and she loosened her grip on Inuyasha, helping him to lean against the wall as she fumbled with the keys in the lock, searching until she found the right one to open the door. She took a quick peek inside, trying to discern the layout before taking Inuyasha into the wrong room. Thankfully it was small enough that she didn't have too much to worry about.

Struggling inside, as they were both just about ready to collapse after their trek, they made their way past a small living space and kitchen into the surprisingly spacious bedroom. It had an adjoining bathroom and, Kagome was gratified to see, a perfectly ample shower.

"I need to get you out of your clothes now." Her mind whirled at how she'd previously expected to say such a phrase to him tonight but under entirely different circumstances.

She painstakingly held the thick cloth away from him as she slid it off, hoping she hadn't caught any forming scabs or pulled open any already healing wounds. Deciding she didn't want to have to walk around in wet jeans she quickly shrugged out of her clothes but kept on her undershirt and underwear in order to attempt to maintain objectivity – and just in case Ryu came to check on them.

Pulling him into the shower with her she turned her back to the shower head as she adjusted the spray to the right temperature. His energy had to be nonexistent at that point so she flipped their positions and sat him on the tile, grabbing the soap and an extra washcloth from the counter before kneeling next to him.

She cleaned him with all the care she could muster, though she couldn't tell how effective any of it was or if she was hurting him since he didn't make a sound or move at all. Slowly, finally satisfied he was blood-free, she cooled the water to prevent his wounds from bleeding out further.

Her eyes turned glassy and dull as she stared blankly at his chest, repulsed by the night's turn of events. Without realizing it she had begun crying, and once it started she couldn't prevent her tears from turning into full-out sobs. She buried her face in her hands, unable to help herself from breaking down fully in front of him.

"Why? Why would you choose _this_ over me, when I want you with me so badly?" she hiccupped out. She started when she felt his hand against her back, pulling her weakly but determinedly into his chest. She couldn't really lean against him without hurting him so she just touched the top of her head to his skin, comforted even with the small contact.

"Don't...cry," he croaked out, but that sent her into tears all over again. She was angry at the world for its prejudice, at him for his stubbornness, at herself for not being able to save him more effectively and, at the moment, for making him so uncomfortable with her tears that he was forced to exert himself further in his need to comfort her. She just never seemed able to do the right thing at the right time. But she was here now and she'd gotten him out of that awful mess of a bed so at least that was something.

At that moment she heard Ryu's voice from the entry and it was then she realized she'd forgotten to close the front door. If she'd had a free hand she would have smacked herself. "We're in here!" she called out.

Ryu popped his head in the bathroom door and immediately stepped back when he noted the state of their undress and that they were still in the shower. "You need anything?"

Quickly she leaned over to turn the shower off. "Do you have any towels we could use?"

"Sure," he said, and quickly gathered some up and plopped them outside the shower door. Kagome was tempted to ask for his help getting Inuyasha to stand up, since she felt her arms about to give out on her, but figured the hanyou's pride had already been burned enough with just her helping him out. Adding a second person in the mix was likely to only rub it in deeper. Apparently Ryu had the same idea because he said, "I'll be in the other room," and quickly left them to finish.

Patting him dry while he sat, she was glad that most of the cuts had stopped seeping and was only cursorily sorry about getting Ryu's towels bloodied. Taking a moment to swiftly towel out her hair and wrap one around her for modesty's sake now that Ryu was there, she hefted Inuyasha up beside her and secured an arm around his waist before delicately making their way out of the bathroom.

Ryu hadn't been idle either, it appeared, as there was an assortment of bandages, clothes, and even the standard rag and bowl of water next to the bed.

Inuyasha staggered as he worked to walk to the bed under his own power, causing Kagome to stumble as well, and Ryu was sore pressed to not throw Inuyasha's other arm around his own shoulder but he understood how a male's pride worked all too well. Instead he busied himself prepping the medical supplies on the bedside table, pretending he took no notice of the trouble the couple was having making the short trip across the room.

Blood was still dripping from a few of his wounds, smearing across Kagome's skin from where she held him as well, and she knew it would be a while before the larger gashes closed up. She sent an apologetic glance to Ryu. "Sorry about the towels and sheets," she said, knowing if she put Inuyasha on the bed there'd be no way to salvage the bedclothes.

Ryu shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me. You just make sure you get that boy feeling better."

Kagome nodded. "Would you mind…?" she inquired, gesturing to the gauze and then to Inuyasha's legs.

Finally taking part in the conversation, Inuyasha interrupted with a, "No."

Brow scrunched in worry and confusion she turned on him. "You've lost too much blood to stand for long and we need to get you completely bandaged up before laying you down or the sheets will dry to your wounds again. If Ryu and I both work on the wrappings we'll get done much quicker."

He simply said, "No," again and Kagome sighed, exasperated.

"Fine," she cried, throwing her hands up in the air only to have the movement cut short when she realized one was still caught behind Inuyasha's back, holding him upright. "Well, in that case there's no reason to work with your towel being in the way just to preserve modesty."

Ryu tilted his head toward the doorway. "I'll be in the kitchen, then, if you need me or any more supplies."

As soon as he was gone Inuyasha forced a small smile. "Admit it, you'd just prefer to have me naked no matter the situation." He winced as Kagome loosened her grip on him to unwind the towel around his waist, forcing him to stand mostly under his own strength, ending in a tiny, strangled gasp when she pulled away a small part of the towel that had already dried to one of his wounds.

Kagome ignored the give-away and, knowing he obviously wanted something to distract himself with, returned his banter. "Me? Want to see _you_ in all your natural glory? Now what on earth would give you an idea like that?" Smirking, she breathed the last words directly onto his neck as she reached behind him to grab a roll of gauze, pulling back to give him an equally pained, forced smile.

With a sigh she realized she had to bring him back to their current situation. "I'm going to have to let you go completely to do the wrapping. You let me know if you think you can't stand anymore and need to take a short break, all right? I know you won't want to but I don't want you falling over or passing out from your blood loss so you'll just have to bear with me tonight." The fact he said nothing to argue the point worried her more than anything but she forced herself to focus solely on his wounds.

Leaning him carefully against the bed, trying to keep any of the wounds from being caught taking his weight, she reached to grab the supplies and started to wrap him, though she made slow work of it. She winced every time he winced, and when he saw her reaction he worked harder to stifle his own. That made her even more wary once she was unsure when she was hurting him so she worked even more carefully, taking her time to make sure she didn't graze any of the uncovered wounds as she wound her arms behind him to pass the roll of gauze. Twice she paused and forced him to relax a moment, despite the fact he'd said nothing about his weariness.

By the time she was done wrapping him some of the first bandages had already bled through, but she could see the sheen of sweat across his forehead and knew he couldn't take anymore at the moment. Instead, she helped him into the bed and laid the towel across his waist to preserve his modesty. Most of him was covered in bandages anyhow so it might not make much difference but she knew it made him more comfortable.

After making sure he was situated she left momentarily to get Ryu, who'd used the time to make some food. He came into the bedroom carrying two steaming bowls of ramen, one each for Inuyasha and himself, while Kagome carried her own. Ever since Kagome had had the foresight to send Inuyasha his little kettle Ryu made sure to keep some ramen on hand so he could treat the hanyou from time to time.

Ryu placed the bowls down on the bedside table, taking care with placing them just so and then fussing with them again and again, while Kagome propped Inuyasha up in the bed so he could eat. He tried to do it himself and his arms gave out on him three times before he allowed her to put extra pillows behind him.

She saw, though, how his hands shook just holding them in front of himself and knew there was no way he'd be able to support holding a bowl, let alone getting ramen from it to his mouth. So she made a big show of how badly she felt about the situation, how helpless she felt, and that it would make _her_ feel so much better if she could feed Inuyasha. Everyone involved knew it was a show for Inuyasha's sake but they all went along with it, contented to pretend for the moment or even to laugh inwardly at Kagome's horrid acting skills.

Kagome held the bowl up to Inuyasha's lips, allowing him to take small sips at a time, scolding him slightly when he tried to drink too much at once, worried that it might make him sick. She knew his wounds would open immediately if he had to vomit and tried to do everything she could to prevent that from happening. Luckily his stomach appeared to be just as durable as the rest of him and he had no trouble holding down his food.

She glanced over at Ryu, noting how he ate absentmindedly, his worried gaze on Inuyasha, and was saddened to realize this was their first actual meal together and that it had to happen in such circumstances.

She ended up giving Inuyasha half her own bowl – she'd given up on it earlier, realizing she had no appetite – before he was satisfied and allowed her to help him lie back down. A look of understanding passed between Ryu and herself as she stood, getting ready to head back to Inuyasha's room to try to clean up as best she could for his return. Ryu could only have the hanyou in his apartment for so long before someone started snooping around, which could land him in serious trouble.

As soon as she stood, though, Inuyasha's hand reached out, grasping for her. Immediately she turned back to him, grabbing his hand in hers, pushing hair back from his face with the other. "Silly, I have to go. Your room isn't going to clean itself."

At that he forced his eyes open. "Don't," he gasped. "I'll do it."

She snorted at that. "Right, like you're in any condition to do anything right now. No," she held up a hand when he started to push himself up and argue his point, "it needs to be done and there's nothing else that can be done about it. Besides, I really don't mind."

Even in his exhausted state he gave her a look that clearly doubted her sincerity and she had to agree. "Okay, fine, you're right, I _do _mind. The part about helping you out and cleaning up after you are fine, I can cope with that, but what I can't accept is that you continually allow this to be done to yourself, over and over and over. _That's_ what I mind."

He tried to scoff as well as he could. "Yeah, right, cause I've got so many options."

"Yes," she looked at him steadily, "you do."

An awkward silence fell over the room and Kagome sighed. She wished she hadn't brought up a subject he was so uncomfortable with, especially since they'd essentially decided to delay their conversation about it for five years when they first made their bargain, but she just couldn't help herself sometimes. She stood again to leave but his grip was still firm on her hand, even if he wasn't looking her in the eye, and she had to smile at that.

"Inuyasha, I do need to-"

"Stay," he cut her off.

She sighed but he could tell she wasn't at all put out by his request. If she missed him half as much as he missed her then it was a wonder she wanted to leave his side at all. As it was, even in such a condition he'd prefer to have her by his side, where he could smell her and feel her presence.

Getting situated on the bed next to him she leaned on one elbow, tracing his face lightly with her fingers. "I'll stay until you're asleep but then I'll need to go. We can't impose on Ryu for too long." He grunted his assent and it was only then she looked around and realized Ryu had left them to themselves again. "Now sleep," she said, idly playing with his damp hair. "You need to get better soon."

"You just want me healthy for my body, eh wench?"

She laughed but the sound was forced and brittle to his ears. "Go to sleep," she commanded softly again, and the feel of her fingers on him was so comforting he slipped into blessed unconsciousness within minutes, despite his desire to stay awake longer just for the luxury of her being with him.

Quietly, smoothly, she got up from the bed and was slightly surprised to find Ryu still in the kitchen. She'd expected he'd been needed back at work by now. Her surprised glance was enough and he explained, "I don't want him alone when he's hurt this badly. I'll stay with him until you come back."

She nodded her thanks but paused halfway to the door when he spoke again. "I'm sorry," he said softly, "I did everything I could to keep it from getting out of hand."

"Don't be sorry, you have no control over what the Shrine allows." She was silent for so long he thought she'd gone but then she broke the silence, her voice cracking. "It's my fault, isn't it. He said he hadn't told the Shrine he was leaving and that he might be in trouble when he got back – and this is it, isn't it? This is his punishment for his concern about me."

Ryu tried to find a way to deny it but knew she would see through anything he came up with. "The client scheduled for the night he was gone is one of his worst, and I have no idea if he took that into account when he left. Regardless, she was quite upset when he returned - made all sort of unreasonable demands on the Shrine as compensation."

"So did she…?"

"No. It just so happened that none of the customers he had lined up between then and now were willing to reschedule so, as a consequence, each of them got bumped back one night. I'm sure that added extra, erm, _ire_, to each of their sessions. With such violent encounters one after the other he wasn't healing fully and properly before each successive one and his system is just nearly at zero at this point. If you hadn't been his next scheduled client I likely would have had to intercede on his behalf before the Shrine committee."

"So it is my fault," she whispered.

"No," Ryu said decidedly. "It's not your fault. What Inuyasha did he did knowingly, and even then, how could you blame him for such a decision? Blame the other clients, the Shrine, the current laws, anything, but don't blame yourself."

Kagome nodded but, not trusting her voice, said nothing else as she finally left Ryu's apartment. Wearily she made her way back to Inuyasha's room, glad to have avoided anyone she even remotely recognized, and locked the door behind her as soon as she entered. The room absolutely reeked of the coppery tang of blood but she couldn't bring herself to be revolted since it was part of Inuyasha, and since it was because of his concern for her that it had been brought about. Any stomach lurching she might have felt at the sight and smell of so much blood was chased away by the damning weight of her own shame. How could she not be strong enough, _competent_ enough, to protect him from something so horrific?

Going to the little side table against the wall she opened the cabinet door and pulled out all of the hydrogen peroxide, bleach, other cleaners, and rags inside. She had the unfortunate feeling she was going to need all of them.

With a disparaging eye for the walls she decided against working on them first. Not only did they look like they were going to require a great deal of scrubbing but she figured if she cleaned the mattress first then it would have more time to dry.

She pulled the sheets off, wincing when they cracked and crumbled in the spots where the blood had dried and quickly threw them into the hamper. She'd have just trashed them but she had no idea how many sets of sheets he had at any given time, or if they were considered Shrine property, and he might get in trouble for their disappearance. _Even though apparently their utter desecration and destruction is just fine by them_, she thought mutinously.

After the sheets were off she wasn't surprised to see a spreading red stain covering the entirety of where Inuyasha's body had lain and she started to pour the bottle of peroxide on it, scrunching up her face at the fizzing and bubbling. Waiting a few moments while she worked on other parts of the room, she returned to wipe off the foam with one of the rags before repeating the process over and over when her hand slipped and she dropped the bottle onto the bed. She fumbled for it before all the contents spilled out, but when she got it back under control she was concerned to see other parts of the mattress bubbling – parts that didn't have bits of bright red on them.

Out of curiosity she poured a bit on one corner of the bed that looked relatively unscathed and her heart sank when the entire area started foaming. The realization hit her hard – that at one time or another his entire mattress had been covered in his blood. He'd not only had to endure such pain and torture but then was expected to clean it up himself, only to have it done to him again and again.

It was too much for her and she flipped the mattress over so she wouldn't have to see the evidence of its horrors right in front of her, then felt ashamed and embarrassed for her weakness. Here she was feeling dread and torment at just the thought of what he had to go through yet that's all it was – just a _thought_. That was nothing to what he truly endured and this time her stomach _did_ lurch.

She tried to busy herself to keep from being preoccupied with such morbid ideas and without thought she dumped the remains of the bottle onto the clean, dry side of the mattress – and watched it, too, begin to foam.

Her legs failed her and as she sank to the floor, the perverse sound of fizzing filling the room, her strength of will gave out too. She breathed out scratchy tears, not in the least for her shame at feeling so hurt and wronged about things that didn't even happen to her directly and that she didn't feel even a fraction as much as Inuyasha did. She mourned for him while she was ensconced safely away from him, where he wouldn't see her weakness or feel his pride offended.

She allowed herself her moment of discomposure and then did her best to shrug it off and pull her bravado back on. She had a job to do and she needed to do it quickly so she could get him back quickly, though she regretted having to pull him from the relative comfort of Ryu's apartment so soon. Regardless, she had a multitude of things to do and not a lot of time to do them in.

First, though, there was one other thing she had to do. Opening the small wall-section next to the door she pulled out a small Shrine-use phone. It wasn't outgoing - as far as she knew, at least - but she hoped she'd be able to make the call she needed anyhow. Instead of dialing the line for reception, where she was sure she'd get Kazuma, she called Ryu's apartment. Luckily she'd remembered his line correctly and, since Ryu had most of the extensions memorized, she had no trouble getting the one she needed.

Instantly she dialed Miroku's room, worried once it reached its twelfth ring that maybe he and Sango hadn't ended up in his quarters at all but instead had managed a private conference room or something of the like. Finally, she heard a male voice on the other end and, worried she might have gotten it wrong, she verified, "Miroku?"

He immediately perked up and, though deflated when she asked for Sango, gave no demur to the request. As soon as she had her friend on the line she told her she wouldn't be able to meet up the following day to introduce Inuyasha as they'd planned.

Even if not for her friend's words, Kagome's tone of voice was enough to let Sango know something was off and she immediately asked what had gone wrong. For reasons obvious to them both though, Kagome didn't go into detail. "I've never seen anyone so close to death," she whispered at the end of her explanation. Until she spoke it aloud Kagome hadn't realized how worried she'd been about Inuyasha's ability to recover, especially after Ryu's revelation of the constant abuse and the continually slowing rate to his healing.

Sango, for her part, was horrified as well. Certainly she'd heard Kagome's words when she'd explained Inuyasha's situation but somehow it seemed so much less real when at such a distance. Now with him being in the same building and hearing the broken tone to Kagome's voice she was all too aware of the grisly reality facing her friend.

"Okay, here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to give my cell phone to Miroku and whenever you have the opportunity he'll pass it on to you."

Kagome was startled momentarily by the familiarity and trust with which Sango seemed to be addressing Miroku but realized she just didn't have the mental capacities to deal with that at the moment and that she'd just have to track her friend down later. "Sango, are you sure? Don't you need your phone at home?"

"What I need is to be able to check up on my friend and I don't want to have to go through five other Shrine workers to get to you. Besides, if your situation really is that bad at the moment I doubt you'd want me sending other people over to get you on the line just so I can get some information. This is the best solution all around, so take it. You'll have your hands full so I doubt you'll have time to be running up huge long-distance bills on it."

It was dry wit, and coming from Sango no less. The fact that her normally stoic friend was working so hard to lighten her mood worked more than anything else could have. "Thank you," she said with as much heartfelt emotion as she could manage, and even then felt she was lacking. "Look, I've got to go, I've still got a lot to do. Everything alright with you?"

"Yes, yes," Sango said impatiently, "don't worry about it, we'll catch up later. Now you just go and do what you need to do."

"Thank you," she said again. "I'll talk to you in a few days then."

"Take care, Kagome." The line severed and Kagome slowly put the phone back in its cradle and shut the wall latch. Without a sound she got busy and returned to cleaning.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

As soon as Sango hung up the phone the sick feeling in her stomach worsened. She held the phone limply and Miroku took it from her, closing it up in the wall, before leading her back to the armchair and sitting her down.

"What was that? It didn't sound pretty at all." He was startled to see the brave woman who'd first stepped into his room suddenly looking so lost, all color leeched from her face.

In a startling movement she looked up at him, her eyes beseeching. "Miroku, can I trust you? I don't mean the casual 'yeah, sure, you can trust me with meaningless secrets from years ago' but trusting in the hard stuff, things you might not like and might make the world look just a little bit more dreary?" She had her instincts, of course, and felt that while he was so seemingly absurd with most everything that he'd be completely serious when necessary. Still, she wanted to hear it confirmed, hear how he'd phrase things in order to back up her gut.

He sat on the arm of the chair. "I really don't like where this is heading, but yes, you can trust me – at the very least on this account. I know this has to do with Inuyasha and I already told you my feelings on that matter. So what happened?"

"He was beaten," she took a shaky breath and he waited for the real news to fall – after all, unfortunately that was normal for him. "He was beaten badly, near death in fact. He still had a multitude of wounds that were bleeding freely when she arrived."

He whistled low at that. He didn't know much about the physical systems of hanyou and youkai but he knew that Inuyasha should have been healed much better than that after even just a few hours. "I had heard there was some sort of scuffle about him going missing a little while ago and that the Shrine wasn't terribly happy with him. I guess this is the outcome."

"That's my guess as well."

"How would you even know about that?"

Sango took a deep breath, assuring herself it was alright to tell him what she had to say next. "Because the reason he went missing is because he went to see Kagome."

She only needed to hear Miroku's quick intake of breath to know he understood the significance of that, of how much it told of the attachment between the two. "He was worried about her and just wanted to check to make sure she was alright, but I guess it threw off his schedule here. Still, Kagome's seen him in bad shape here before but this seems to be the worst it's ever been."

Miroku squeezed her shoulder, not knowing what to say.

"She had to go seclude him at Ryu's for a while. There was just so much blood and he has no shower…" She trailed off and they both looked at the bathroom just across from them. "Now Kagome's trying to clean up his room but from the sound of it that'll be quite the endeavor."

They were quiet for a while before Miroku finally broke the silence. "Do you want to go help her?"

She was startled at his suggestion but he could see her mind going to work on it instantly. "Do you think we could?"

Miroku pulled on his earring, an absentminded habit that helped him think, as he pondered not only the pros and cons of doing such a thing but also the little fact that she'd automatically included him.

Sango, too impatient to wait him out, spilled out her concerns. "Would there be any problem for you if we were seen outside your room? Would there be any repercussions if we were spotted going into Inuyasha's room? Would he be able to smell our presence in there? Kagome says he's really proud and from what she's said I don't think he'd appreciate knowing we were aware of his situation."

Miroku, coming to his own decision, waved her concerns away. "All trifling matters, really. As long as you're with me I shouldn't have any problems. If anyone asks about us going to Inuyasha's room just say you're lending Kagome your phone – it's legitimate and the truth so no problems there. As for the smell? We can only hope that the cleaners will cover our trail. Besides, if he's in as bad a condition as you're making him out to be I doubt his senses will be at full capacity. If he asks Kagome about it she can just say she saw the two of us and that he's smelling our presence on her." He looked down at her still too-pale face. "Satisfied?"

"Yes, very," she nodded, and he was glad to see her determination returning. Quickly retrieving her phone, leaving her purse behind so as to leave less of a scent-marker in Inuyasha's room, she held Miroku back at the door. "Thank you," she said quietly, her heart in her words. "I know you don't have to do this and that I dragged you into the situation but I really appreciate it."

"Of course," he said, grabbing her elbow and pulling her out the door. He didn't let go, linking their arms once they were outside, and that's how they walked through corridor after corridor until they got to Inuyasha's room. She could tell just by looking at the outside that the door was his – it had no extra gilding, nothing of the beauty found everywhere else in the Shrine. Steeling herself for any protests that might come from Kagome she raised her hand and knocked before trying the doorknob. She wasn't surprised to find it locked.

"Kagome, it's me. Let me in!"

It was a few moments before they heard the dull thunk of the lock sliding back into its housing and when the door didn't open in welcome Sango pushed it open herself. She found herself rooted in horror as she looked around the room, only moving when Miroku exerted a gentle pressure against her back. Quickly he shut the door behind them, locking it once again.

The walls were splattered with blood so there was at least as much red as white, if not more. There were wide sprays and thin arcs that looked as though they'd come out in quick spurts and reached all the way to the ceiling. There were bloody sheets, bloody rags, bloody water, and even a bloody smell to the air that made Sango sick to her stomach. Unthinking she reached out and grabbed Miroku's hand, clasping it in her own as a small comfort in the face of the evidence of such violence, hatred, and inhumanity. She had to peel her eyes away from the tableau to find her friend. Kagome was on her knees, scrubbing at the wall with an old rag, making little headway against the stains.

"I can't get it out," she said brokenly into the silence, pausing in her scrubbing and falling back on her knees in a completely defeated way. "No matter what I do I can't get it clean." This time there was no mistaking the tears in her voice and she wiped them on her shoulder, as it was one of the few dry places left on her that hadn't been splattered by cleaner or bloody water.

Sango was at a loss and Miroku spoke first. "There's no way that it _will_ all come out."

It was a testament to how far gone Kagome's thoughts were that she didn't question Miroku's presence with Sango. Instead she just shook her head. "I know, that's what the whitewash is for, but I can't just leave this all to simply be covered up, I just can't…"

"We know, Kagome," she said, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder, "we'll help." With that she grabbed one of the last few remaining clean rags and glanced despairingly at the dirtied water. "Miroku, do you think you could get us some more supplies? We'll need more water, rags, cleaner, and…" She trailed off, taking a meaningful look at the wet mattress. "Kagome, do you need more sheets or does he have spares?"

Kagome shrugged, having resumed her scrubbing. "Check the closet."

They did and were horrified to realize that there were no clean sheets and that the hamper was overflowing with bloody linens. Miroku sighed. "I'll see what I can do," he said, squeezing Sango's hand in encouragement. "Lock the door behind me – I'll be back when I can."

Kagome barely took notice of his leaving as she moved to a new patch of wall. Sango wished there was something more she could do to comfort her friend but realized that helping here was the best thing she could do at the moment. Then, when she got back home, she was going to fight like hell to help Kagome get out of this situation. She didn't have to meet Inuyasha and take stock of his capacity to know that not he – nor anyone – deserved this treatment. The fact that it was a legal situation at the moment, or even if not legal that it wasn't _illegal_, galled her more than she could bear and she wondered how Kagome was able to cope with the injustices of the world and still retain such happiness most of the time.

Looking over at where the girl was hunched over, scrubbing the blood of someone she _loved_ out of the narrow ridges in the drywall, Sango promised herself she would do everything in her power to fix this situation and rid the world of the capability to inflict such pain on any other hanyou lingering elsewhere in the world.

Miroku came back not too much later and, as good as his word, had as many supplies as they could ask for. He'd even managed a hairdryer to speed along the drying of the mattress. It didn't occur to Sango to ask how he'd done it, especially so quickly; she'd just trusted he could, and she took comfort in his return. The three of them scoured the room, getting as much of the stain out as they could before Kagome finally consented to allow them to use the whitewash to cover the remainder they couldn't clean off.

They were exhausted and sore and disgusting but they were done, and they took joy in that little bit at least. They all realized it was best for Sango and Miroku to be in the room for as little time as possible, so they'd leave less scent behind, so they left as soon as the last bit of whitewash was applied. They entreated Kagome to take a shower in Miroku's room, covered as she was in grime, sweat, and blood, but she refused, preferring rather to make her way directly over to see Inuyasha. They couldn't argue with that and, since Ryu had his own shower, saw no need to either. Miroku had offered to go with her to help bring Inuyasha back but she'd turned that down instantly. From what Sango had mentioned of Inuyasha's sense of dignity he wasn't surprised at the response but felt it was right to offer anyhow.

They parted with few words: a phone switch and hug between Sango and Kagome, a sympathetic smile and a squeeze of the hand between Kagome and Miroku. Kagome made her way sedately over to Ryu's, happy to see Inuyasha was asleep. She slipped into the shower once again, feeling slightly guilty as she got blood on even more of his towels. They were laid out for her though, as were some more clothes – she hadn't thought to bring some of her own clothes from her bag, so she assumed Ryu had put them there for her use.

A towel wrapped around her shoulders, she rubbed one end of it through her hair as she walked back into the bedroom and looked down at Inuyasha. He looked much better than he had when she'd first seen him and noticed his bandages didn't have as much blood on them as she'd expected. Ryu must have changed at least some of them during the night. She reached out and gently pushed his hair way from his face, happy to see he wasn't quite as pale. She was just going to touch his hand when the front door opened and she spun around.

Ryu entered then, looking nearly as tired as she did. She'd been planning to take Inuyasha back to his room right away but upon finding him sleeping she hadn't wanted to disturb him. Now that Ryu was back, though, she didn't want to steal his bed either. He forestalled her worries with a single statement. "I'm taking the couch, so don't consider moving him right now, all right?"

"But," she hesitated, "I don't want to intrude…"

"You're not the one intruding, girl, Inuyasha is. And remember, I've known him longer than you and care for him just as much so don't you think you're putting me out, okay?" She peeked up from under her bangs and saw he looked just as strained and worried as she must. "Besides, it might be best if you're moving around during the middle of the day. Everyone else should be asleep by then so it's much less likely you'll bump into anyone."

She couldn't argue with his logic and, her doubts finally quelled, she yawned and headed toward the bed as she bid Ryu a sleepy goodnight. She knelt next to it, gazed at Inuyasha's face, and slipped her hand into his. Within seconds she was asleep.

* * *

**A/N:** As always, thanks to mine betas**  
**


	24. Prohibition

Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler

* * *

**A/N:** For all those asking, this chapter gets a bit citrus-scented.

* * *

**Chapter 24: Prohibition**

- a hindering, forbidding; to hold back  
- something that prohibits a certain act or procedure

* * *

It had been two long days since that miserable affair, neither of them in the best of moods since Kagome still refused to touch him in any way that might hinder his healing – which meant anything aside from changing his bandages. Inuyasha had even resorted to complaining when she'd tried to avoid the even sleeping in the bed with him. At first she'd been afraid he, or even she, would pounce, but his complaining had become so obnoxious that she'd caved. Ultimately it hadn't been that hard to convince her to share considering the bed was the only piece of furniture in the room and cement wasn't the most comfortable of resting places. Besides, when she'd first gotten him back he'd been barely moving, let alone following through on any of the actions he kept promising to try if she didn't cooperate.

Getting him through the corridors and into his own bed had been a feat in and of itself though. That day at Ryu's apartment she'd awoken with a jolt – and a rather stubborn crick in her neck from sleeping while kneeling next to the bed – pleased to find it around 2 pm. She'd gotten him to his room easily enough, even if it did take a while as Inuyasha was still woozy and barely hanging onto consciousness. Once she'd gotten him back in his own room he'd collapsed on his bed and fallen asleep before she'd even finished changing the soaked bandages, and as soon as she'd tossed them she had immediately succumbed to slumber herself. She'd only left his side one time and since she had come back with food he hadn't done more than what felt like his obligatory grousing.

Now she woke in Inuyasha's arms, luxuriating in the comfort of the bed and his embrace. She moved just a bit closer, though being careful not to actually press against his multiple wounds. She'd tried to compromise and at least keep herself to the far side of the bed – which was quite large enough to leave a decent amount of space between them – but even at that he kept waking up and complaining about the distance so she'd relented, probably all too easily. She'd probably have moved over unconsciously in her sleep anyhow but she didn't let him know that. Just indulging herself and relaxing next to him she snuggling in his warmth, but then when she moved close enough she could feel him pressed hard against her thigh she heaved a sigh of frustration. Trying to get up without waking him she clambered out of the bed and stepped lightly to her backpack where she pulled out some clothes to change into.

She was done in five minutes – not that there was much she could do to get ready in a room with no mirror, no sink, and no shower. So she wiped herself down a bit with one of the rags she dipped in the pitcher of water – which she'd had to refill multiple times in the last day and a half while changing Inuyasha's bandages.

Glancing at the clock she noted she still had fifteen minutes before the Shrine was technically closed for the day but determined to leave early anyhow. She didn't want Inuyasha to wake and see her before she left because then he'd question her and, with as stubborn as he was, she'd have a tough time actually leaving. _Not that I really want to anyhow_, she thought somewhat sulkily, but when she remembered why she was doing it her mood brightened. If her plan actually worked her absence would be completely worth it.

Hastily scribbling a note explaining that she was going out for the day and would be back the moment the Shrine re-opened for business that evening, she grabbed her purse and made her way out the door as stealthily as she could manage. Once the door was safely shut behind her she heaved a sigh of relief. She couldn't believe she'd actually gotten away with getting out of the room without his interference! His body must still be working hard at recuperating for him to be sleeping so deeply as to miss all the noise she had to have made, despite how hard she'd tried to keep quiet.

She made her way to the lobby and waited for the friend that was supposed to meet her and accompany her around town that day. Miroku had called her the previous night on Sango's cell phone, wondering how Inuyasha was faring and to see if she needed any more supplies brought over. She appreciated his concern but then her curiosity got close to overflowing with wondering how on earth he had finagled his way to get Sango's number. "Ah, ah," he'd chided. "Men don't ask women their secrets and you shouldn't ask me mine. Let's just say I have a very talented tongue."

Kagome had blushed to her hairline as she considered the implications of what he might have done with her friend, but he cut off her spluttering. "Yes, I have a way with words," he'd continued, in a way that made it clear he was well aware of what she'd assumed. "Once she knew I was only concerned for you and didn't want to come to your door at, well, let's say an inopportune time or when it would be bad for me to be seen, she finally conceded. Besides, I'm charming enough she had no chance."

She'd taken a moment to regain her bearings after he'd so obviously played with her and wished he was in the same room so she could smack him across the arm. "A little overconfident about your abilities, aren't you?"

He'd scoffed. "Of course not. But then again you haven't been on the receiving end of them yet, have you. Shall I give a demonstration as evidence of my prowess?"

She'd given up and chortled at the level of his self-enchantment, taking a quick glance at Inuyasha to make sure she hadn't woken him, and wondering briefly if Miroku really was that cocky and vain or if it were mostly for show and amusement. "And I assume you'll be so kind as to delete her number once I give the phone back to her?" Of course she'd already known the answer but was having fun giving him a hard time.

"Ah, but you see I have a land-line, not a cell phone, so all the numbers I know are stored in my memory. It would be impossible for me to forget it without taking a blunt object to my head and forgetting quite a few other things as well. Besides, what's to say she wouldn't like my checking up on her from time to time?

A snort had escaped her before she could stifle it. "I'm sorry, have you met Sango?"

He mumbled a comment she couldn't quite make out and then, before she'd been able to ask anything about it, smoothly moved the conversation on to the scene she'd made in the front foyer of the Shrine just a few hours prior.

She'd quickly explained to him what really had happened – as it seemed rumor had already changed a few things – and why she'd done it. He'd been silent a moment then had nearly cheered her ingenuity in getting things moving in what was normally such a painfully bureaucratic setup. When she'd further explained that the downside to her plan was that she'd have to be out of the Shrine during closed hours – though then by proxy she'd had to explain that normally she _didn't_ leave – he'd immediately offered to accompany her. She'd thanked him and taken him up on the offer, especially since she'd mentioned she'd have to entertain herself all day to stay awake since she hadn't bothered to rent a room anywhere.

But circumstances being what they were they'd agreed to meet as soon as possible after the closing bell, despite the fact they'd both have little to no sleep and might be near to sleep walking by the end of the day. Although, after she thought about it, the idea of Miroku weaving among the crowded streets when he normally appeared so composed actually rather amused her.

So she'd only been waiting in the lobby a couple of minutes before Miroku showed through the doorway to the wing in which he was housed, walking amicably over toward her and slinging his arm around her shoulder. "Morning," he said, cracking a yawn.

She turned a critical eye on him. "Have you slept yet?"

He shot her a wry grin. "Not really. But I'm always ready for the company of a beautiful woman." As he spoke his hand slowly made its way down her back and with a huff she slapped it away. He laughed and held up his hands in a show of surrender. "Sorry, sorry, habit and all. Though if you ever change your mind…" He leaned over and winked at her and she couldn't decide whether to scold him or laugh at him, so she settled for just hiding her expression by turning and walking outside.

"You coming?" she called over her shoulder. She grinned as she felt him trot up next to her. "And I might advise you to keep your hands to yourself for the rest of the day if you want to keep them."

"Okay, okay," he chuckled. "I know when I'm beat. Besides, as I see it you're already taken?" He made it a question but the knowing look in his eyes had her blushing and averting her gaze. "Plus, any guy who can take a whipping like that – apparently on a regular basis – and keep on pushing is not someone I want to take on." He said it jovially but she could detect the underlying sympathy in his tone and the hand he rested on her shoulder was nothing but friendly and supportive. When said hand didn't move anywhere she relaxed slightly and slumped a bit as her exhaustion from the past couple days finally overtook her. For the moment she was glad for the camaraderie and distraction he was providing.

"You know, if you ever need anyone to talk to…" he offered.

She turned to look at him, pulling away from his touch as she searched his face. "Thanks," she said finally. "I'll keep that in mind."

To her surprise, Miroku chuckled. "You don't trust me."

She looked uncomfortable about being called on it but nodded. "It's not that I think you _un_trustworthy, I just don't know if you're trustworthy."

He shrugged gallantly. Truth be told he was glad that, considering her situation, she was a bit more cautious and intelligent about who she spoke to – and about what. "Fair enough. After all we don't know each other very well yet. But you are welcome to bend my ear anytime you like. Actually, you could bend anything else you like as well." He waggled his eyebrows and she rolled her eyes just before she grabbed at his arm to put him in a hold that had often cowed her brother when he acted unruly. However when she twisted his wrist a little too far the wrong way and he made a muffled yelp she couldn't help but break into laughter.

"You are absolutely incorrigible."

He smiled before resuming his walk. "Got you smiling again, didn't it?"

She shot him a surprised glance, wondering if that really had been his intention. "Well then, you know this town much better than I do so how do you suggest we spend the day?" He opened his mouth to reply but she rushed on ahead before he could get a word out. "And I'm warning you, nothing perverted."

Resting his hand over his heart he protested, "I would never!"

Kagome just shook her head. She'd have to keep on her toes with this one. "How about we grab some food first?" Even though it was morning she supposed technically it would be dinner – but she'd never gotten the hang of all the mixed around meal times so she tended to just avoid calling them by name. "Where you want to go?"

As he steered her toward a quaint little noodle stand, he remarked idly, "Speaking of getting to know each other, is your friend Sango planning on coming back anytime soon?"

* * *

Kagome returned that evening to a surly hanyou, who wouldn't even look at her as she walked back in the door. "Decided you'd show back up whenever ya felt like it, eh?"

She glanced around quickly, her confusion growing when she saw the new addition in the corner. She poked a thumb at it. "I thought that would explain why I had to leave."

Inuyasha pushed himself up from the bed and glanced at her warily. "That's why you were gone?" he asked softly, before catching himself and pushing his voice to a much gruffer tone. "Well, what did you have to do with it anyway?"

When she didn't answer right away his irritation grew as did his suspicion.

"I know you had to have something to do with that," he'd snapped, indicating the rustic but much welcomed shower hanging in the corner. She had turned to examine it, wondering what lengths the Shrine had actually gone to in order to appease its finicky, rather vocal client. There was a bare shower head hanging from the ceiling over the corner drain but she was actually pleasantly surprised to see two handles – both hot and cold water – and even a shower curtain on a rail that closed off the corner. Not only that but there was even a small recessed light installed in the ceiling. She assumed that, to the Shrine's way of thinking, any client needing to wash from activities with their 'special' tetsudai wouldn't necessarily want to give him a show but would still need light enough to check for cleanliness when the shower curtain blocked most of the ambient lighting.

Turning she'd smiled at Inuyasha sweetly, feigning innocence. "Why ever would you think that?"

He didn't look impressed, going so far as to cross his arms over his rapidly healing chest, though the movement was hindered by the mass of bandages and she had to work not to crack a smile. "Whatd'ya have to do?"

She chuckled at that. So _that's_ why he'd been so surly – well, more than normal – he was actually worried. "Nothing as bad as what you're thinking, I assure you." Sighing, she strode toward the bed. "I don't know how you've got along this long without it anyhow, or how the Shrine could even think you didn't need it. I mean, it's pretty logical after all."

She sat on the bed next to him and froze when he leaned over and sniffed her suspiciously. "You smell like another guy. You sure that," he pointed to the corner of the room, "is really why you left?" He was obviously trying hard to control his anger and jealousy, which spoke of how much he really did appreciate the new addition.

She smiled gently as she placed her hand against his cheek, even as he scrunched his nose in distaste. "You know well enough that if I didn't enjoy your company there's nothing that forces me to come back. I see you because I _like_ seeing you, and I think you know that by now."

He shrugged and relaxed, letting her know her point had hit home. "I just didn't want to wander around town alone, especially when I worried I might fall asleep at any point and didn't want to wake up anywhere weird. Though he might have been a bit _more_ friendly than I bargained for…" she added under her breath. When Inuyasha growled she just smacked him playfully on the arm. "No, you are not going to maim him. Besides, if he's interested in anyone it's probably my friend Sango."

"Who?"

"My friend came here with me when I first arrived and ended up spending the night with him – though I don't think she actually 'spent the night' with him so to speak. She's rather conservative herself. I really don't know if he is interested at all but he kept asking about her so I invited her to come back in a couple of days."

"Why would you be asking her back unless you plan on seeing her? And why would you need to do that if you see her at home? You aren't planning on skipping out on me again, are you?" His voice was playful but she couldn't quite tell whether he was being serious or teasing.

"Well, you see, the reason she came in the first place is because she wanted to meet you. That is, if you're all right with it." She started wringing her shirt, stretching the material with her fingers, and plunged ahead before he could form any sort of reply. "I mean, if you're not that's okay, I guess, I don't want to push you into doing anything you don't want to. It's just that I talk to her about you quite a bit and she wonders what you're really like and I thought it might be a good idea and that we could get out of the Shrine and have some fun, but if you don't want to then just say the word and I'll cancel."

"She isn't…" He was about to say, '_like your other friend in the hospital_,' but stopped before he could make her even more nervous. As it was she was still destroying that damned shirt of hers, barely making eye contact with him, and when she would look at him it was only from the corner of her eye and up through her lashes. Besides, he knew she hadn't enjoyed that situation any more than he had and wouldn't want to repeat it, so this Sango must be a different kind of friend. He supposed he could trust Kagome in this, at least. Plus what was the worst that could happen? Nothing he hadn't already dealt with before, and if nothing else he could always just ditch the friend and lock himself in his room.

"It's fine I guess, whatever you want to do is okay – on one condition." She looked at him warily and he pointed toward the corner of the room again. "You explain how a shower got in here and what you had to do with it."

She waved a hand airily. "Well I assume you know _how_ it got in here since you must have seen them install it and everything," she teased.

"That's not what I meant, wench, and you know it!" with that he pounced, carrying her down to the bed with his weight. "Now you give me answers or I'll never let you up."

Cocking an eyebrow, she smirked. "You do realize that's motivation to not say anything about the subject?"

He lowered his face to hers, a dangerous smile playing across his lips. "Then how about I tickle you into submission instead."

"You wouldn't."

"Oh, I would."

As soon as his fingers touched her sides she caved. "All right, all right already, I'll talk!" she said giggling. "You, sir, drive a hard bargain. Now get up so I can have some air while talking." She pushed at his shoulder.

"I think I'll stay here. I like it right where I am."

She cast a critical eye over his still-bloody bandages but relented. After all, it wasn't like her own body was averse to the situation; on the contrary, it was all but singing. "Well after taking you over to Ryu's I realized how ridiculous it is that you don't have a shower of your own in here."

"Not like that's ever bothered them before."

She huffed. "Which makes no sense, as I spelled out to them plainly enough. You'd get cleaner, do it a lot quicker, and your clients would have the opportunity to get cleaned up as well before they leave."

"Most of them don't care – they simply shower when they get back home or to whatever place they rented. The commute doesn't bother them much since most of them tend to take care to not get too sullied by the dirty hanyou anyhow."

"I know," she said softly, cupping his jaw. She paused a moment before jumping back into storytelling mode. "Still, _most_ doesn't account for _all_, as I made quite clear. Besides, I'm a paying client and _I _want access to a shower, so who I decide to pay for shouldn't matter, just that they're getting my money and that I want to be clean."

He narrowed his eyes and stared down at her. "You keep saying you made things clear to 'them' – what exactly did you do?"

Mirth bubbling up, a smile broke out on her face. "I threw a fit in the lobby."

"You did…" He fumbled for words. "A tantrum? You threw a tantrum?"

She nodded exuberantly. "A very loud, boisterous, _obnoxious_ tantrum. Oh yes, and did I mention it was at the busiest hour of the night?" she added slyly.

He snickered, but winced as the motion jostled him. "Man, what I would have given to have seen that. So what happened?"

"Naturally Ryu looked at me like I'd sprouted a second head or something, as he'd had no idea what I was up to, but then a call came to his desk from the big wigs and he was smirking to high heaven when he told me they'd install a shower and give me the night free if only I'd shut up. Apparently they didn't want it common knowledge that you didn't have proper washing facilities – some kind of health code violation or something."

She'd been more than embarrassed to be going on like that in front of so many strangers and avoided eye contact with Ryu since she hadn't warned him of her plan beforehand, but when he'd gotten a call from the higher-ups and had rushed over to quiet the 'problem customer' he'd quietly shared in her triumph. "But since I didn't know when they were getting someone over here to install the thing I couldn't really hang around when I wasn't technically supposed to be in your room during non-business hours."

He'd looked somewhat appeased but still a bit miffed which just made her smile so she ruffled his hair. "Aw, did someone miss me?"

Snorting he'd pushed her hand away. "Just wondering what could make you stop your constant mothering for a whole nine hours."

Of course the fact that he'd kept track of how long she was gone was telling but neither decided to mention it aloud.

"So what, this your new endeavor? Making the world cleaner, one shower at a time?"

She sniffed at the teasing glint in his eyes before tapping her chin and appearing to think it over. "I think I could make that work as a tagline."

He snorted, clearly appeased, and she beamed at him, holding onto him a moment before pushing on his shoulder and he allowed her to roll him over. Sitting up she studied him a moment before moving back slightly to gauge the state of his gauze wrappings. Despite the fact she'd nagged him into letting her change them the night before they were soaked in blood again, some of which she thought might be fresh given the color. She fussed with one of the bandages, pulling it back slightly to peek underneath. He was healing slower than normal, which meant he'd lost quite a lot of blood and had to have been exposed to damage for an abnormal amount of time.

Sighing heavily she prepared herself for the fight she saw coming. "You're going to have to let me change those again soon."

His jaw went up in the air and his arms crossed over his chest but she just rolled her eyes. Really, what had she expected? Then, just when her back had turned, he made a grab for her, his intentions obvious. She giggled but still held him at bay. It wasn't that she wasn't as ready as he was to get down to business – it had been pure torture to be so close to him and _not _do anything – but there was still a goodly amount of pain showing in his eyes and when she accidentally put a hand where she shouldn't he gave a low grunt. She withdrew her hands immediately and stared at the wound she'd touched, hoping against hope she hadn't made it start bleeding again. When the dark red stain got just a bit brighter she winced guiltily.

"Well I'm dusty from walking around town all day so I want to go make good use of that shower but I'm just too exhausted. It'll have to wait 'til later," she said as she collapsed on the bed.

She thought she caught Inuyasha mumbling something about stinking like another man while in his bed but when she whipped her head back around Inuyasha hadn't moved and was glowering at the ceiling. She wasn't fooled, and was sure he'd purposely said it loud enough for her to hear, but decided to pretend she hadn't. Besides, he was injured; she could be gracious and allow him that barb.

Kagome just shook her head and collapsed back against the bed, asleep within moments. And though Inuyasha complained that he'd been resting all day and needed her to entertain him now, he followed her into slumber not much later.

* * *

Despite her lack of sleep the day before Kagome woke before Inuyasha, which she attributed to his still recuperating body since he usually had so much more energy than she did. She took one look over at the new shower fixture, gave a small excited squeak the thought of being able to get herself properly clean, and jumped out of bed.

Now standing under the shower spray, she luxuriating in the feeling of getting all the dust, grime, and sweat off after walking around the city streets all day. Grimacing in preparation for what she was about to do she turned the water all the way cold, barely muffling a squeal as shivers shot through her. Still, there was only so much she could do to cool down after sleeping next to Inuyasha all night while not being able to hold him. Luckily she only had to stay under the frigid downpour for about half a minute before she felt a bit calmer, though shaking and invigorated at being shot so fully awake.

Still, she smiled as she cranked the hot water up, very glad the Shrine had decided to include that feature as well, and congratulated herself on her decision to do her very public protest to get it installed. Of course the fact that she'd had to resort to that had bothered her but there was nothing she could do about it now – in the outside world she was still doing everything she could and though she was only advancing at a snail's pace at least she knew change was being started.

A muffled groan from Inuyasha had her ripping back the shower curtain in worry, wondering if he'd done something to tear open one of his wounds. What she wasn't expecting was to see him splayed naked across the bed, sheets tangled around his feet, as he stared at her with a dark intensity while slowly stroking himself. She hadn't thought about the fact that the light fixture in the shower would provide excellent backlighting but now it was all too blatant he'd been able to enjoy the view of her silhouette – and had obviously done so with relish.

She couldn't do anything but stare, transfixed, hand still clutching the shower curtain, as his fist moved up and down, the languid movement belying the smouldering heat in his eyes. Without making a conscious decision she stepped toward him, as if in a trance, only realizing what she was doing when he growled out a deep, husky, "No."

Shaking her head to clear it, she dragged her gaze up from his groin and his still pumping hand to his face. She knew he wanted her – his desperation so obviously matched her own while they'd been sharing the same quarters yet unable to touch each other – yet he told her to stop.

"Back under the water," he commanded, his voice resonating in a way she swore she could actually feel it. "I want to watch you."

She took a short, hesitant step back, then another, until she was halfway in the spray but with her face peeking out so she could see him clearly. He readjusted himself so he could have a better view of her without craning his neck then returned to his activity with fervor. He groaned again with delight, obviously enjoying how caught up in his actions she was.

Kagome quivered with pent up energy. Part of her wanting so badly to dash up to him and put her hands all over him and she was having to use ever ounce of will-power to stay back as he asked, but another part of her was loving the show and didn't want to give it up for anything. Despite keeping his eyes trained on her his head still rocked with each upstroke, his hair a tangled mass that spread out from him at wild angles. His arms and legs clenched and flexed with each movement, the rippling of muscles an obscene testament to his physical capacity, so defined they seemed impossible for someone stuck inside constantly to obtain, making her ache to feel them tense and relax under her fingers. The thin sheen of sweat now covering his body simply made her ravenous and she wanted to either take her tongue to him or drag him into the shower with her and wash him clean very, very slowly.

The imagery that went with that thought nearly broke Kagome's willpower; she didn't even realize she'd stepped forward until her white-knuckled grip on the shower curtain pulled her up short. She turned to look at it in a daze, as if wondering what on earth her hand was doing holding the flimsy material, when Inuyasha chuckled. She blinked and gazed up at him confusedly

Raising his chin, he gestured at her head. "You might want to finish washing your hair," he said, amusement thick in his tone. She swatted absently at her forehead, and as her fingers came away thick with suds, she realized with chagrin that she'd completely forgotten what she'd been about before finding him touching himself. With a sigh of regret for having to obstruct her view even a bit she plunged back under the water completely, reaching up to rinse her hair.

She didn't know how but she could _feel_ his smug grin and knew, just _knew_ that he was enjoying the way her position was displaying her chest. Well, she decided that since he was giving her the best show she'd ever seen the least she could do was try to give as good as she got. Already the image of him pleasuring himself on that bed was seared into her mind and she knew that all during the coming year that picture would come to her, would leave her wondering if he was doing that during their time apart while thinking about her.

So she took longer than necessary to clean off the soap, despite the fact that she was still dying to get back to watching him. She stroked her fingers through her hair, running her hands down her face and neck, reaching her arms up and arching her back until she was near on her tiptoes. When she ran her hands down her sides, though, she gasped in surprise when she felt his hands grasp her own. He was close enough that she could feel the heat emanating from his body despite the warm water running over her and she leaned toward him, holding her balance by bracing her weight where he still held her hands between them at shoulder height.

"Satisfied I'm healthy enough for 'physical activities' now?" he asked sardonically.

She cast a critical eye at the few remaining bandages, especially the one covering the worst gash he'd had that had run from the back of his shoulder down along his side, exposing bone along the way. With water still dripping in her eyes she didn't have a good enough view to tell if there was fresh blood on his bandages but the determination in his eyes told her he was through waiting and, though she felt guilty about it, she knew her capacity for holding out was shot as well. Besides, she was a bit too distracted to look too closely at his wounds when he just stood there in all his glory: aroused, heated male soaking up her undivided attention.

Gazing down at his still rampant erection she grinned. "It seems someone didn't finish his job."

He released one hand to run his fingers across her temple, behind her ear, and when he displayed them covered in shampoo he smirked smugly. "It seems someone else was too engrossed to finish her job either."

She swatted him playfully with her free hand but when he pushed her under the water and turned her so he could work at rinsing her hair properly she leaned into him, relishing the first true skin to skin contact they'd had in a year. His fingers felt entirely too good on her scalp and she melted against him. "Why didn't you keep going? I was certainly enjoying the show well enough – the visual of you writhing on that bed will be seared into my brain forever."

"First, guys don't _writhe_," he growled. Sensing she was going to argue the point he grasped her around the waist, pulling her back tightly to him. "Secondly, there is no way that the first time in a year that I come, while you're in the same room, it'll be anywhere but deep inside you." At her little water-clogged gasp he leaned over her, his deep chuckle resounded next to her ear. "I'm thinking this shower could be even more fun than I'd originally thought."

"I'm beginning to get that idea too," she replied, then slipped from his hold to grab the shampoo she'd bought on her foray into the city that day. "Now turn around, it's my turn to get you clean."

He waggled his eyebrows. "Will I enjoy it as much as getting me dirty?"

Laughing she spun him to face away from her. "I don't know but we'll certainly get to that part as well."

She worked her way leisurely through his hair, spending time massaging his scalp much like he'd done to her. After she was done with that she used the shampoo as a body wash and worked her way thoroughly down his body, as much as for her own enjoyment in mapping each inch of him yet again as because he actually needed it. After all, it had been three days since his shower in Ryu's apartment and even then she probably hadn't done the best job of helping him get clean. Either that or he'd just been so caked in blood and muck that it would have required more than one shower regardless, a possibility she didn't like to think about. Even as she worked her way down him she noticed small flecks of red that she scrubbed at gently.

Reaching behind himself, Inuyasha grabbed her hand and squeezed, obviously guessing at the maudlin path her thoughts had taken. Pulling slowly he brought her front flush up against his back, grabbing her other hand and placing it on his stomach – something she always enjoyed. He brought her other hand up to his mouth and nibbled on the palm before working his way down her pinky and then slipping it into his mouth, his tongue doing things that made her instantly weak in the knees. By the time he'd worked his way through her fingers and was sucking on her thumb her balance was wobbly and she was panting against his back, mouth working against his shoulder.

She'd tried to hold out and give him a thorough massage and cleaning but her willpower had just reached its snapping point. Since he obviously had no problem with that though she felt no worry about spinning him to face her before pushing him against the wall, plastering herself against him as she nipped at his jaw. Judging from the way the muscles under her lips were pulling he had to be grinning – she could just picture the smug look of satisfaction in her mind – and her reaction was exactly what he'd probably worked to get and wanted to pull from her, but she couldn't much complain since it was exactly what she wanted as well.

Without preamble – she'd certainly waited long enough – she lifted one leg, which one of his hands automatically supported, positioned him against her, and slid onto him. They both let out simultaneous sighs of intense satisfaction and relief, of the culmination of their year-long pent up frustrations. They remained just like that a moment, content to luxuriate in the sense of fulfillment and completion but it couldn't last, not when they were both trembling with held-off adrenaline and anticipation.

Kagome, balancing precariously on one foot, began to move on him, languidly, relishing every nuance of sound and taste and feel, her hands clenching the non-bandaged portions of his shoulders. After a few slow, slick strokes she pulled back and mixed it up by pushing herself onto him with all the force she could muster in her position. She succeeded in wrenching a groan from him and suddenly felt like the most accomplished woman in the world.

Suddenly an idea came to her, something she'd heard her friends talking about some guys liking, and wondered if Inuyasha would as well. She reached behind him and clasped him firmly, taking the way he bucked against her as a good sign, then moved one hand down, tracing the line between his cheeks. Slowly she manoeuvred one finger in deeper, tracing around the puckered little hole.

Inuyasha sucked in his breath and tensed. "What are you doing?" he rasped.

"Just trying something new," she said as she probed the entrance gently. "Do you like it?"

"No." When she didn't stop quickly enough for him, he growled another, sharper, "No!"

Kagome drew back hurriedly, both in surprise and guilt, and tried to take a hasty step back. However, Inuyasha was still inside her and since his arms were still around her they stopped her backward momentum and instead she lost her footing on the soapy bit of wet concrete beneath them, instantly slipping. And of course, since they were still wrapped around each other, Inuyasha went tumbling down on top of her.

He'd tried to spin them to take the fall but, not only were his muscles still seized and weak from his injuries, but also his weight had been back against the wall and he'd had no force or momentum with which to try to twist them about. His arms wrapped around and covered her head to keep it from cracking against the cold cement but he still came down on her – and in her – hard.

He was instantly thrust so deep she winced, swearing she could probably taste him if she wished. He was crushed inside her and while the initial move had been painful it was now moving to just _borderline_ painful, which she could manage considering the look of absolute ecstasy Inuyasha was wearing. She could imagine that, for as uncomfortable as it had been for her, it had probably felt equally wonderful to him, so she just took some deep breaths and willed her body to relax.

As both of them finally got adjusted from the shock of the fall, Inuyasha slowly opened his eyes and examined her. "You okay?" he asked as he pushed back the wet hair that was stuck to her face.

Kagome nodded. "Yeah. Thanks for saving my head." She gave a rueful little smile.

Somehow he managed to look both sheepish and angry at himself. "Should've been able to do more."

"No," she disagreed, "not at all. It was my fault. So what was that all about anyhow?"

For his part, Inuyasha was cursing himself, stewing about how his stupid reaction most definitely ruined the mood, wondering if he should have just let her do what she wanted, or just grabbed her hand and kissed it to cover his removing it, or done something else, _anything_ else.

"Let's just say I know quite well that I don't like that – _at all_," he emphasized. She looked at him quizzically and he sighed. Knowing her stubborn streak, if she didn't understand the situation she'd likely try again sometime if he didn't head her off, and he certainly didn't want that. "You didn't really think all my clients were female, did you?" As her eyes grew wide he shook his head. "Figures."

"But…but…"

He sighed again and decided to just explain so the topic would be done with and she wouldn't think up any absurd questions to ask later. Plus then they could hopefully get back to the activity at hand. "Not all the guys are gay or bisexual even. Those fuckers just think they're bigger and badder than whatever they get to penetrate; gives them some sort of ego boost to dominate anything and anyone else. The fact that I'm physically much stronger just adds to that whole thing. Ain't much different for women, either. They're just as happy to feel dominant because they're making someone else take it so there are always the ones who bring their toys for the same reason…"

At her horrified look he glared at her, irritated at having to explain this to her and spell out such humiliating facts. "So you could say I know the act rather well and know that I fucking hate it. Okay?"

"Okay," she whispered. "I'm sorry, I had no idea."

"Yeah, I caught onto that," he replied dryly.

"You just always do such wonderful things to me that I wanted to try something you might like. I didn't realize I'd be doing just the opposite. I'm sorry," she repeated.

He dropped his forehead to her shoulder and exhaled. "It's fine. You didn't know. As long as you don't do it again we're fine."

She had to smile at that a little bit – that he was finally feeling comfortable enough to tell her, his 'client', what to do. Wrapping her arms around him she pulled him closer, just holding him to her.

With that further insight into his other clients, though, it certainly shed a bit more light on the desperation he seemed to have to be with her. If that was what he faced fifty-two weeks out of the year – she wasn't quite sure she could term it rape since he willingly stayed when there was another alternative, but the fact that he obviously hated it was a big factor in her mind – then it was no wonder he was eager to do something to cover those memories. His body was still in bad enough shape that anything they did would cause him just as much pain as pleasure, but when she fully understood there was more to his motivation than just straightforward desire it made much more sense.

Stroking his hair a moment, weaving her fingers through the wet tangles that she hadn't managed to get out earlier, she willed him to calm a moment. Still, she knew she had to do something to salvage his mood and keep him from brooding further. "You know, for my part I'd have to say that getting penetrated isn't all that bad." He looked down at her, startled, then slowly smiled as she continued. "In fact, I'd say that having you inside me is by far one of my favorite things in the world." To emphasize her words she clenched around him and he jerked.

"It doesn't humiliate me to have you looming over me, to have your flesh stroking mine, to feel you across every inch of my body. I crave it every day that I'm not here, longing to have you filling me, dominating me or not, whichever way I can have it and however we feel like doing it." She leaned up to whisper into his ear, also hoping to cover how red she was turning at how outrageously bawdy she was being. "I think the fact that you can make me think about it constantly actually proves just how much better you are at this than all of them combined."

Pulling back to see her face, he snickered. "You're ridiculous."

She grinned. "Most likely. I'm also dead serious." Closing the distance between their faces she gazed at him hard in the eyes. "Now fuck me."

He made a choked sound and thrust against her, taken aback by her unusual profanity. Then he slowly looked at her, eyes moving from her steady but blushing face, perusing at leisure until he was staring down at where they were joined. "That would be my pleasure," he purred, his head dipping in mock courtesy.

Leaning on his elbows so he could watch her face he moved sharply inside her, receiving a low hiss of pain from her for his efforts. He froze instantly. _He sure stopped a lot more quickly than I did,_ Kagome thought wryly.

"What happened? What's wrong?" he demanded, hands running over her, looking for injuries. "I thought you said you were fine." Suddenly his eyes grew large, panic setting in. "Shit, was it me falling inside you? _I _hurt you didn't I." As quickly as he spoke he was pulling away from her but Kagome caught him around the back and kept him still.

"It's not that," she clarified, glad that particular pain had finally ebbed. "I think I bruised my tailbone when we fell."

Inuyasha huffed and didn't look any happier with that answer. Lifting her slightly his fingers prodded the surrounding area and when she winced so did he. "Looks like you're right. Damn."

His self-deprecating look was enough to let her know he was blaming himself. "Hey, lighten up," she chided. "As I already said, it was my fault we fell. Besides, it's not like it won't heal." He glowered at her but didn't argue. "Anyhow, isn't there something else we're supposed to be doing right now?"

Shaking his head she knew he still felt guilty about it but apparently his body and libido were more in control at the moment, just as hers was, because after only a slight hesitation the panicked tension left his body and the hold he had on her turned more caressing. He made to flip them over so he'd be the one on the hard concrete but she placed a hand on his arm and forestalled him. He quirked a brow in question but she just told him, "I want you on top." Not only did his worst injury wrap around his back, which she most definitely didn't want to put any pressure on, but after that further explanation into his circumstances she wanted him to feel as in control as he could.

"B-but your tailbone?"

She shot him a haughty look. "I'm sure you're smart and creative enough you can figure _something_ out."

He made a face at her but then his eyes went unfocused, as if thinking of a plan, then he knelt over her, still holding her hips firmly against his. Inuyasha took a moment to study her over, wondering belatedly if his grip underneath her to support her was pushing against her bruise. "You all right?"

Grimacing she shook her head, wondering which kami they'd pissed off recently. "I'll be fine as soon as we can continue without further interruptions," she said smartly.

He grunted in agreement and bent over her, unwilling to loosen his grip that held her to him. "Hold onto me then."

She reached for his biceps, fingers slipping on his wet skin from the water still cascading onto his back, then finally managed to link her arms behind him. He lifted her, placing her under the shower head one more time just to watch the water sluice down her body as she gazed at him with the same gleam in her eyes, then stalked over to the bed.

"The shower?" Kagome worried.

"Feh, let it run. The damn bastards here owe me for never having installed one so leaving it a while won't kill em."

"Yeah," she breathed as he reclined her, sopping wet, against the bed. "As long as I can hear every sound you make over it."

He snorted. "Feh. As if I'll let you be conscious enough of anything else other than what I'm doing to your body."

She opened her mouth to retort but cut off in a windy gasp as he laid her shoulders down on the edge of the mattress, being sure to keep her wounded tailbone floating in the air, making the sensations so much more focused when there were no other textures to distract her from his skin, his flesh against hers.

"Look at me, Kagome. I want to see what I'm doing to you in your eyes."

She obliged and as soon as their gazes locked the gap between their faces closed. After just a few seconds his breath was fanning across her lips, the musky smell of him invading her senses, and she realized with a jolt how close she was to kissing him, to breaking her deal, and hastily jerked her head to the side. Inuyasha hesitated a moment, then lowered his lips to her neck and began laving and sucking on it in such a way Kagome knew she'd be sporting a mark for days.

They touched and explored and relearned each other for as long as they could hold off, but their first time together in nearly a year couldn't end in anything other than a fiery conflagration. When the culmination of their energy and efforts exploded in a blinding fury of light and sound, Kagome had to admit to herself that Inuyasha had been most creative in his adaptation, and, though she wouldn't say it out loud, had also been successful in his threat about keeping her mind only on him. _Like that's difficult to do_, she snorted.

She lazily ran her hands through his hair while he manoeuvred them both so all parts were laying on the bed, then he allowed himself to collapse completely beside her, fully sated for the first time in the better part of a year. She got up to shut off the shower and when he grunted in disapproval she laughed merrily before quickly jumping back into bed with him. Then sticky, wet, and happy, they fell asleep as entangled in each other as they could make themselves.

* * *

Kagome woke with a start then smiled sleepily to herself. She moved to stretch but found her skin was tacky with dried sweat and water from the shower, and she grimaced as she pulled her arm away from Inuyasha's skin with a sticky suction. Carefully she extricated herself from the bed and his embrace, picking at where the gauze covering his wounds stuck to her. Surveying herself and the bed she realized his bandages had bled out – quite a bit, in fact.

Instantly worried that their activities the night before had had bad repercussions on his healing process she bent over him, examining and prodding at the dirty wrappings, but quickly realized, to her great relief, that nothing was bleeding now and it didn't look like anything had terribly recently either. She guessed the water must have softened all the dried blood that had already been absorbed by the gauze and then it simply smeared across their skin as they moved against each other. Doubtless their activities hadn't been good for his wounds but it appeared that at least they hadn't torn anything or exacerbated them excessively. Looking down at herself she saw she had streaks of blood across her belly and arms and, though it didn't gross her out like she would have expected, she knew she needed to get them both cleaned up and the bedding changed. Looked like that shower was going to be coming in very handy indeed.

Figuring she'd try to get as many of the wrappings off him as she could before she woke him up, considering how little he liked her hovering over him and nagging about his health, she picked at them only to realize they'd dried back onto his wounds. She sighed. Apparently she'd be pulling them off under the water despite her intentions.

At first she considered just waiting until he woke up himself but then decided she didn't want to wait that long. Besides, even if he was annoyed at her she was sure she could coax him into her way of thinking easily enough. Her fingers lingered on his cheek for just a moment more than necessary before she shook his shoulders, giving his arm a poke just for good measure. "Ne, Inuyasha."

Murmuring in his sleep he swatted at her hand and turned his face away from her. Leaning closer to his ear she let her hand move down to caress his abdomen. "Inuyasha," she sing-songed, her voice much lower and softer this time. Instantly his eyes cracked open and she chuckled, though when she straightened he grasped her hand and kept it firmly in place.

"Where do you think you're going after talking like that?" He tried for intensity but the look was ruined when he cracked a huge yawn.

She switched the grips on their hands and tugged at him to get him sitting. "I'm going to the shower and you're coming with me."

He immediately became much more amenable to being moved. "Well why didn't you just say so?"

"Unfortunately not for that, at least not yet." He cocked an eyebrow at her dismissal. "You might want to take a good look at us."

He did just that, his eyes scanning her slowly, lingering on his favorite spots, and her body started to turn hot and she knew she had to be blushing despite herself. "And the problem is?"

"You really are a guy," she said laughingly. "This," she said, her fingers trailing across a streak of blood on her stomach, "is what I was referring to."

"Oh." His ears flattened and she would've sworn he turned pink as well.

"Hence the shower. Your bandages have dried onto your wounds now as well so we'll have to pull them off in there."

He rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath. "Oh joy."

"Don't worry," she said, pulling him up to stand, "I'm sure I can make it worth your while. But first we're getting clean." On that point she was adamant.

Without further ado she shoved him under the shower and turned the knob, telling him to stay put while she changed the soiled bedding. While Inuyasha didn't mind watching a naked Kagome prance around his room, he'd have much preferred that he be the focus of her attention while she did it. When she was finally satisfied with the state of the bed she wiped her brow and turned, momentarily startled to find Inuyasha staring at her.

Making her way to his side she pulled gently on the first bandage, glad when it gave easily. "Well, looks like the water has softened them enough they should come off. Let me know if any of them are still stuck and I hurt you when I pull on them, okay?"

He nodded, since it was the easiest thing to do, but knew he wouldn't actually do it.

Unfortunately a few of them did stick and Kagome had to coax them off with soap and warmer water, even when she left them until she had all the others done. When the last bit of gauze fell away she gave a hearty sigh of relief, then stooped to pick them all up so she could toss them. On her way back though the view of a completely nude Inuyasha under the spray, even riddled with half-healed wounds, stopped her completely in her tracks, and she suddenly understood his thing the previous night about her staying under the water. She grabbed her shampoo, still staring stupidly at him, and tripped on her own feet, her obvious distraction making Inuyasha feel much better about the whole situation.

After getting all the dried blood out of his hair she went to work on the wounds, making sure they were all clean especially since small fibers from the gauze had stuck in a few of them. For the most part he was looking very well except for that one long wound that snaked across his back and around his side. Though it was mending she thought she could still see small patches of white where his ribs were exposed and the visual made her shudder. Wrapping her arms around him in a sudden fit of anxiety she held him tight.

"What?"

"You scare me sometimes, you know?" she whispered into his chest.

He sighed, his arms wrapping around her. "You don't need to worry about me, okay?"

"Not worry?" she snapped, her eyes fiery. "How could I not? You let yourself be horrifically beaten on a regular basis and I'm supposed to think all is fine? What do you take me for, some kind of idiot?"

"That's not what I meant," he backtracked. "I meant–"

"What?" she cut him off. "That I shouldn't care about what happens to you? Well too late for that. Or what, that I shouldn't worry because you can take care of yourself?" He looked like he was about to affirm that before she pegged him with a glare. "But would you?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked indignantly.

"I mean look at you!" She waved her hand across his side to showcase his newest collection of wounds. "Where do you draw the line between what's acceptable and what's not? What's to prevent someone from beating you and weakening you so far that you're unable to defend yourself if you need to? Or what if you're so used to the beatings that you don't know when it's going too far? Or, if it came down to it, would you truly defend yourself against a client? Would you be able to bring yourself to raise your hands against them, even in defense, or are you so hardwired at this point that you'd let yourself be killed one of these times by some sociopathic nymphomaniac?"

"Kagome, I–" he started, shocked by her words.

"No, no explanations. I just want you to promise me that you'll never let it get that far. I want you to promise me that you'll never let things get that far because you _can't_ leave me behind – I won't let you. You have to promise you'll protect yourself, that you'll value yourself above the value this stupid Shrine puts on you."

When he didn't answer right away she shook his arms. "Promise me!"

Honestly he was surprised at how some of her accusations had hit home, wondered if it came down to it if he really would fight a client, knowing that while saving his life he'd also lose his livelihood and possibly be sentenced to death anyhow. Why go the long, laborious route when the end result might just be the same either way? Looking in her eyes, however, eyes that were clouded with fear and anger and panic, he realized he'd changed his mind on that subject long ago and that with her forcing his hand he really would have something to fight for.

"Okay," he breathed, and felt her instantly relax in his arms.

"Say it," she demanded.

"I promise."

"Say it again."

He pulled her in just a bit closer. "I promise."

* * *

**A/N:** I'm really not happy at all with this chapter (although I must say Miroku is turning out to be a lot of fun to write) but I've given up. If I don't wash my hands of it and move on I'll never finish this danged story, haha.

Also, on that note, next chapter is almost ready to be posted. I just need to go through and do all the edits, then it'll be up. Huzzah.

And once again, as always, thanks to mine betas, readers, and reviewers. You guys are what keep this story going ^_^


	25. Concession

Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler

* * *

**Chapter 25: Concession**

- Something, such as a right, a privilege, or a point previously claimed in argument, that is later conceded  
- An acknowledgment or admission

* * *

"Don't worry!" Kagome chided. "You'll get along fine with Sango and Miroku. Sango's a good friend and Miroku…well, they're both good people, even if Miroku is a bit, erm, 'friendly'."

Inuyasha growled. "If he's _friendly_ with you I'll rip his hands off."

She glanced at him sideways. "Why Inuyasha, are you saying you'll be on your guard to protect my virtue?" The irony of that statement made his lips quirk and he immediately loosened up, as she'd hoped. "Besides, if he's lived this long he must be smart enough to know when to cool it. I seriously doubt he'd want to take you on, even on his best day."

She felt a little guilty for taking so many shots at Miroku, especially since he wasn't there to defend himself, but knew he wouldn't mind since it was in good humor and it was serving to pull Inuyasha out of the sullen mood he'd been in all day while preparing for this outing of theirs.

Giving Inuyasha one last look over she straightened his hat before grasping the doorknob. "You ready then?"

He nodded and they left the room. Even just being out in the hall with him felt a good bit less safe than his room, but she figured that was more for fear of who they might run into than anything else. She knew first-hand how this town treated their honored tetsudai, but that obviously hadn't gone far in calming Inuyasha's nerves, guessing by how tense he looked just walking next to her. Or maybe it was just the idea of meeting her friends that had him this riled up – after all, his last meeting with one of her acquaintances hadn't exactly gone over well.

Either way she knew he had to get out of that room of his at least every now and again and this was the perfect opportunity. It was summer, there were festival preparations underway, she had friends present, and there was a gelato shop in town she'd heard rave reviews about and was dying to try. She knew Inuyasha would love it as well – not that he'd ever admit it, of course.

She reached out to take his hand but he just ignored it and walked stiffly out into the foyer where they were to meet Sango and Miroku. Musing that he must not want to appear dependent on anyone she just shook her head. It was certainly going to be an interesting day.

Luckily Miroku was already in the lobby so Inuyasha didn't have any more time to stew, but Sango was nowhere to be seen. Since her friend had been scheduled to arrive a half-hour earlier Kagome cocked an eyebrow at Miroku. He raised his hands innocently then gestured out the door where they could see a figure pacing in the front gardens.

Kagome turned to face him directly, hands on hips. "Miroku, why is Sango waiting outside instead of in here, where there's shade and a fan going?"

He shrugged, but his devilish grin gave him away. "Something about how she couldn't control herself around me. I'm simply too much man for a beautiful maiden such as herself."

"Yeah," she said sarcastically. "I'm sure that _she's _the one who was lacking in self control." She started outside toward her friend and the other two followed.

"Really, what would you expect of me? She's a beautiful woman, an oasis in the desert – the very old, very dry desert – for a wanderer such as myself."

"Desert?" Inuyasha interjected, at a loss.

"Oh!" Kagome jumped. "I haven't even really introduced you two! I'm so sorry. Anyhow, Miroku, this is Inuyasha, my, erm, tetsudai. Inuyasha, this is Miroku. I never really did explain to you why Miroku's here. He, um…well, he…" Kagome fought with how to explain his predicament clearly enough without risking offending the man. She considered him pretty laid back but honestly, she'd really only known him a couple days.

Miroku waved her concerns aside. "Don't worry about it Kagome," he said to her before turning to Inuyasha. "I got suited with sexual harassment, wrongly of course – there's nothing wrong with a little flirting and groping – so as punishment I was sent here to be a plaything for the little old biddies."

Kagome fidgeted between the two of them, her eyes bouncing back and forth as she nervously motioned Sango to join them. Then the last thing she would have expected to happen did: Inuyasha started howling. It wasn't just a small laugh, but bone-deep belly laughs that had him bent over, wheezing for breath. He kept trying to say something but every time he'd pull himself together enough to manage a syllable he broke into laughter again. All he managed to get out was a, "You…" chortle, "…old…" snort, "…OLD!"

They all stared at him in astonishment as he gloated over the predicament of a man he'd just met but his humor was contagious and before long they were all chuckling along. Kagome had once glanced nervously at Miroku to see how he was taking it and, though he tried to look stern, she could see he was amused at having provided such an entertainment to the hanyou he knew only tragic things about.

The three of them waited patiently while Inuyasha composed himself, standing back up straight as he rubbed at his jaw as if his cheeks were sore from laughing for so long. "So, you and the-" He paused and took a deep breath, as if he had to control himself to keep from falling into hysterics again. "While that is probably the most _creative_ punishment I've ever heard of, ain't that a bit harsh just for sexual harassment?"

"_Just _sexual harassment?" Sango glowered at him but he just returned the look full force.

He shrugged. "Coming from where I do, sexual harassment in the form of a grope doesn't seem like that big a deal."

_Oh_, Sango mouthed silently, and though her resolve softened she didn't back down. As she watched their interaction, Kagome could've sworn that made Inuyasha's opinion of her friend go up a notch.

"What I'm saying is that – hey, how long you been here?" he directed the last at Miroku.

"I'll be finishing my two year sentence here in little over a month," he said calmly.

They all turned to gape at him. _This seems to be a theme. Well, at least it's an interesting and informative first meeting. Hope I don't give them any reason to turn and stare at me next,_ Kagome thought.

"Two years!" Sango exclaimed.

"Hah! My point exactly!" jumped in Inuyasha. "I don't see how one case of sexual harassment – which likely wasn't too severe since they didn't send him to rot in prison or term it a fucking rape – could deserve two full years of this." He spread his arm out in a wide sweeping gesture that indicated the whole of the Shrine.

Sango glanced his way to acknowledge she'd heard him but mostly kept her eyes trained on Miroku. "What on earth could warrant a punishment like this? What exactly did you _do_?"

Miroku sighed wistfully, his eyes turning dreamy. "I had come across a lovely young woman and was enchanted immediately. I knew that the kamis had finally blessed this poor wanderer and had sent him this woman to ease his troubled soul." They all rolled their eyes – except for Sango who'd honed a rather exceptional glare – at his rapturous soliloquy.

"Cut to the point, Miroku," Sango cut in.

"Patience, my dear Sango, patience," he chided, and though she did hold her tongue she did not appear happy. "As I was saying, I wondered if this could be the one woman the kamis send a man to complete him and live a life together with him in harmony. As such, I asked her if she would condescend to be the mother of my children."

Kagome choked. "And you'd known this woman how long?"

He pondered this a moment. "Oh, I think about two minutes."

It was Sango's turn to choke.

"But really, it's not the matter of time that's important but two souls recognizing each other."

"I take it her soul didn't recognize yours?" Inuyasha asked wryly.

Miroku shook his head sadly. "That she did not. She slapped me away, railed at me for being a hentai, and that was that."

Sango looked uniformly unimpressed. "You're telling me you just asked the nice lady a question and she took you to court? I sincerely doubt it. Now what aren't you telling us?"

"Well, I did have to check her qualifications for motherhood."

"Her qualifications?" Kagome repeated, already knowing where this was headed.

"Yes. The size of her hips, for instance. And after that if my hands just happened to wander down to her backside, well, that was just instinct."

Sango pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head. "So you felt her up and propositioned her, but I still don't understand how that could warrant two years of old women as punishment."

Inuyasha snorted again but managed to retain his composure, mostly, and Sango snapped her head up to look at Miroku as she was hit by a sudden thought. "Both your clothes were on at all times, weren't they?"

"Of course, of course," he answered, hands held up defensively at the aggression he felt coming off her at that question. "I just like to know how a woman feels – prospective wife and all that, you know?"

To Kagome's further amazement Sango actually blushed and she had to wonder if Sango had been on the receiving end of any of those 'testing' gropes. "That still doesn't explain anything then," she said.

"Well…" he hedged, looking up at the sky and scratching his chin. "It may have been helped along by the fact that I'm a monk."

There was stunned silence for a moment, everyone trying to figure out if he was telling the truth or not. Finally, Kagome just voiced it. "You can't be serious."

"That I am," he confirmed. Inuyasha snickered again and she knew he was a lost cause as he fell again into riotous laughter. She let loose a few chuckles, and even Sango couldn't hold back a laugh, but for the most part Kagome was still just confused. Once Inuyasha had quieted down enough that they could hear over him she turned on Miroku.

"I still don't get it. If you're a monk why would they put you here instead of sending you on a monastic retreat or something like that?"

Inuyasha leaned heavily on Kagome's shoulder to support himself and answered for him. "Don't you get it? He's a holy man and a horny bastard – so what better to do than to send him where he can be both those things at the same time with the Shrine's blessing?"

At that he collapsed back into laughter, the others joining along softly, though in part simply amused by his reaction. Kagome wiped her eyes, feeling slightly guilty again for taking so much humor from a situation that really couldn't be pleasant for Miroku, yet it seemed almost as if he were _trying _to make it seem humorous to them. "Still seems a bit extreme, in my opinion, but I'm guessing this wasn't the first time this situation had arisen with you."

"Of course not," he scoffed. "You never know who the mother of your future children might be so you have to feel them out." He waggled his eyebrows and Kagome just shook her head. "If you try for every beautiful woman that crosses your path then there's no chance that you missed her, is there? But then again, none of them can compare to the strength and beauty of our dear Sango, so maybe it was all for naught anyhow."

He turned to look at Sango, a grin and a lascivious look on his face – which made for a very odd combination – but she just considered him stoically, as if taking his measure. "You know, I just can't figure you out. I can't tell if you really are just this oblivious or if this is all just some elaborate private joke that only you are in on."

Suddenly all the effervescence, all the gaiety and appearance of a man with no cares in the world fled, and what was left was a momentary glimpse of the man behind the façade, of the barest essence of himself. He took her hand in his and raised it to his lips. "If we play our cards right, Sango, you may still yet find out. You may just yet."

Kagome carefully backed away, pulling Inuyasha with her, not wanting to intrude on the sudden intimacy of their moment. Once they were a few steps away she turned and started down the street slowly enough to give the other two time to catch up. Yet only a moment later a loud 'thwack!' split the air and Sango came huffing after them.

They spun and saw Miroku, a goofy smile on his face, rubbing a very red cheek. As Sango passed them Inuyasha said dryly, "Let me guess – instinct, right?" She paused momentarily, her glare hot enough to singe concrete, then kept on marching. He shrugged. "Don't think you did yourself any favours there, bouzo!" he called back to Miroku.

Kagome just shook her head and chuckled as Miroku strolled past. He made it seem like a laid-back, ambling walk, but the fact that he still passed the two of them was telling enough. When he caught up to Sango and the two started to bicker Kagome made to go over to them but Inuyasha grabbed her arm and pulled her along with him. Shrugging she left the two to their flirtation-argument.

"So, is there anywhere in particular you wanted to go?" she asked him.

"Nah, I don't care."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Have you been many places around town?"

He answered in the negative but the way he turned his head away let her know he was sore about the fact he hadn't been around much. "Don't worry so much, they love tetsudai around here. Besides, there are some great places I want to show you, and what with them preparing for the festival coming up there should be all sorts of shops open, despite it being daytime. Come on," she said, grabbing his hand, "there's a gelato shop a few streets up that I just know you'll love."

Hearing Miroku and Sango coming up behind them Inuyasha quickly pulled his hand away from Kagome's but she just shook her head and hid a smile. She really couldn't fault him. He was a guy meeting new people so he was bound to be a bit self-conscious.

The four of them wandered for a little while, just enjoying the ambience of the festival atmosphere as decorations were being put up, making the streets even more jumbled and crowded than normal. After a while the amount of people crammed into such confined spaces was obviously getting to Inuyasha so Kagome tried leading them down an alleyway, hoping to find it emptier, but cursed her luck when it was packed even more, jamming them all together. Not that Miroku was complaining, as he was touching anyone pretty that happened to be within reach. Sango was finally convinced to hold his hand just to keep him from groping any other passers-by.

When they emerged from the alley Kagome was surprised to see the gelato shop right in front of them, just on the other side of the street. She hadn't even realized that shortcut existed! Turning she studied where they'd just come from, hoping she'd be able to remember it for future use. Satisfied her memory of the place was as good as it was going to get she spun back to the shop across the street and squealed, "Gelato!" Inuyasha actually winced at the sound and she instantly started apologizing for her gaffe.

"Really Kagome, dessert? But what about lunch? You'll spoil your appetite." Miroku wagged his finger at her just like her mother would – actually worse since her mom was so carefree about most things – and she automatically reverted to child-mode and stuck her tongue out at him.

Miroku laughed and Inuyasha either snorted or tried to choke his own chortle – she couldn't tell which – and she instantly flushed. "So- so what?" she stammered. "This stuff is amazing and this shop's supposed to be one of the best. Just wait 'til you have some – then you'll see." Flustered she tugged on Inuyasha's sleeve, leading him toward the shop, but he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Hell no – ain't no way you're getting me in there with that crowd of stinkin', sweaty humans."

Looking back at the shop Kagome groaned, realizing he was right. Not only was it nearing a festival but it was hot out too, so the place was packed. There were tourists, families, teens and kids on summer break…it seemed like everyone in town was there and the lines were so long they were snaking out the doors.

"Fine. You can wait here and I'll get you some. Which kind would you like?"

He shrugged, his gaze narrowing as he scanned the cups the other patrons were leaving with.

"Okay, I'll just pick something for you then." She turned to Sango and Miroku. "You guys coming?"

Sango went to follow her but Miroku grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "We'll catch up with you."

Kagome hesitated a moment, shooting them a curious glance, but then continued on her way. After all, the gelato was calling. Miroku turned back to Inuyasha, his eyes probing.

"What?" Inuyasha snapped, immediately defensive.

"You know, regardless of whether or not you accept it, she's already lost to you."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Oh, I'm sure you'll figure it out. Just please be careful with her." With that he walked to join Kagome in the shop, pulling a stunned and confused Sango with him. Inuyasha was squawking indignantly behind them, hurling insults at Miroku, but they paid him no heed and, because of the crowd, he made no move to follow.

"What was that all about?" Sango hissed.

"I assume part of why you wanted to meet him was to see what your friend was becoming so focused on and to see if the same was true in reverse."

"Yes, but we just met the guy and from how Kagome has described him, and what _we've _seen of his life, I'd say he's entitled to be a bit standoffish. At least at first," she amended when Miroku gave her a soft smile. "What?" she asked suspiciously.

"Nothing. I just didn't know you could be so magnanimous." She started to smile until he added, "I mean, you haven't been so generous and kind to me."

Her face deadpanned. "Well, first of all, Inuyasha has never tried to grope me."

Miroku scoffed. "I should hope not – Kagome's the lovely girl who gets that job benefit." He waggled his eyebrows and she rolled her eyes. "Besides, you came to meet me at my place of work, so what was I supposed to think?"

"That doesn't explain why you're still trying it."

"Your beauty, dear Sango, is all the reason I need."

"Right," she said dryly, plucking his hand from her hip.

He coughed, hiding a grin. "And second?"

She looked at him blankly.

"You said, 'first of all,' so I assume you have another point?"

"Of course I do," she snapped. "_He _has no real say over his placement here, no power to gain fair treatment. _You, _on the other hand, your situation is entirely your own fault."

"It sounds like you've made up your mind then."

"My wha-?" She stared at him strangely, like he'd suddenly sprouted an extra appendage.

"You just said he deserves equal treatment, despite being hanyou, and that his situation is unjust. It sounds as though you've made up your mind about him – well, about that part at least."

"I," her mouth opened and closed a few times. "I never said that exactly."

"No," he agreed, "but you inferred it."

"Wow, you're right," she whispered, half in wonder. "Hey, how did you realize that before I did?" she demanded.

He shrugged. "I've been watching you."

She quirked an eyebrow even as she increased the distance between them slightly. "So? I've been watching you too and I have no idea what you're thinking."

Smirking, he drew her closer and she stiffened. "Why Sango," he purred, "I'm flattered you've been giving me so much of your attention."

Shrugging him off, she huffed. "Of course I was. I told you when I first arrived that I was curious about you, your conditions, and the specifics of your situation."

"So you'd better understand how the Shrine works and how the hanyou's conditions compare."

"Yes, I-" She cut herself off and landed him with a glare.

He chuckled at her startled expression. "Don't worry so much."

"And why shouldn't I? You still haven't told me where you stand on this whole situation."

"Shouldn't that be obvious?"

She thought about it, about his willingness to help them the night they'd found Inuyasha in that condition, keeping quiet about it and doing whatever needed to be done. Then she considered how he'd treated Inuyasha on their outing so far, as any other guy – even going so far as to tease him and chastise him – and she realized that yes, it was quite obvious. "It's still good to hear it confirmed," she groused.

"Well then, let me allay your worries and tell you I feel much the same as you must. Though as cruel as it may sound, I do have to admit that I'm glad the situation happened as it did. After all, that's how I got to meet you." His look turned slightly leering again and Sango braced herself, knowing which direction he must be taking the conversion. "That Inuyasha is a most interesting character."

Then fully prepared to fend off his advances, she spluttered at the sudden change in direction. "Inu-Inuyasha?" Catching the wicked gleam in his eyes she suddenly knew he'd been angling for just that reaction and so decided her best option was to ignore the quick switch completely. She got a smug sense of satisfaction when her lack of further reaction caused him to look disappointed.

"Then if you like him so much, what was that all about back there?"

"Ah, that," he said, eyes sparkling. "Every man needs a fire lit under him every now and again."

She was dubious but nodded, willing to let it go.

Considering the nature of their conversation they'd strayed to a secluded corner just outside the shop, knowing the noise in all the hustle and bustle of the street traffic would cover the sounds of their hushed discussion. Now, though, Miroku led her along, pushing his way through the crowd on his quest to find gelato. When he snuck in next to Kagome, however, who was near the front since she'd been in line for the whole time, Sango hissed at him. "We can't jump in here!"

"Why not?" he asked innocently, as if she'd be fooled.

"It's not right. Besides, all the people behind her are glaring at us now."

Miroku peeked his head around to look behind her. "You know, I do believe you're right. It looks like one lady is even sharpening something as she's staring at your back." He pulled her to him and twisted them around so his back was to said lady. "Never fear, Sango, I shall protect you."

Kagome giggled as Sango rolled her eyes. "I can protect myself very well, thank you. Actually, I'm sure I could do a better job than you could."

Miroku quirked an eyebrow at Kagome who nodded in confirmation. If anything that just intrigued him more. He smiled down into her face. "Well, well, it seems I've found myself an Amazon. In that case, you can protect me."

Sango shrugged out of his hold. "You haven't found yourself anything. I'm going to wait my turn over here," she indicated the shortest of the four lines. "You can either accompany me or you can get your dessert and wait for me outside."

He smirked and sidled up to her. "I think you just offered me an invitation."

She didn't even bother to respond, just walked over to her line and stood waiting, arms crossed. Miroku tipped his head at Kagome, who laughed at their antics, then went over to join her, leaving Kagome alone just in time for her to place her order.

Since she really had no idea what Inuyasha would like, especially since she didn't know if his palette differed because of either his youkai or specifically inu heritage, she bought five different types and got them all together in a cardboard carrying case. Besides, if he actually liked the stuff he'd probably end up eating it all anyhow and asking for more. After thanking the clerk she headed back outside to where Inuyasha was probably fuming at having to wait for so long.

When she stepped out into the sun she had to scan the crowded streets to find where he'd gone, since he wasn't standing where they'd left him. No surprise there though, since it had been out in the open and there were likely many people crashing into him where he'd stood. When she finally spotted him it made her glad for the bright red of his outfit, making her able to identify him where he was down the street on the edge of a small park, sitting in a tree. She smiled at the picture he made and bounced down the steps to go meet him.

Only a few feet away though she was accosted by a stranger. He got into step with her and started poking at her cups of gelato. "Aw, sweetheart, that was nice of you to go get that for all of us so we didn't have to wait in line."

She wrinkled her brow, confused. "All of us?" No sooner had she spoken than five or six more guys – ranging from 15 to 25 she guessed – stepped out around her, though it was hard to tell the exact number since the crowd was still constantly moving around them. She tried to sidestep but another of the guys blocked her path.

"Come on, little girl, don't you want to play with us?"

She bristled. "First, I'm not a _little girl_, I'm probably older than some of you." They 'oh'ed in false admiration and she had to work not to scream in frustration. "And what's more, no, I don't want to 'play' with you. I have someone to meet who will be quite upset if he doesn't get his dessert. So play nice like the good _little boys_ that you are and let me by."

A third guy apparently didn't take being called 'little' any better than she did and he was instantly in her face, his physical presence overbearing though his demeanor was cajoling. "Now what's with that attitude when we're being so nice and keeping you company?" He turned to his friends. "I bet she isn't even meeting anyone and all this posturing is just to keep us talking to her longer. In fact, I bet she's really, really lonely," he ended in baby talk.

She stared at him deadpan, less than impressed and working to not let her frustration show lest she make the whole situation even more amusing for them. "Listen, I'm out here with my tetsudai. Just leave me be before he gets comes looking for me and takes offense to you harassing his client." She'd hoped bringing in the Shrine's influence would help her out but, judging by their faces, it wasn't the reaction she'd hoped for.

"So, you came out to visit the great Bacana Shrine, eh? What'dya say boys? I knew she was the kind who'd like to have a little fun." The look he gave her wasn't quite a leer but so she was having trouble figuring out if he was really implying what she thought he was, but she really didn't want to wait around to find out. As her foot caught on the curb she realized she hadn't been aware that she'd been moving, but they were herding her backward into an alley. And, unfortunately, unlike the one she'd chosen earlier, this one was much emptier than the rest of the street.

She scanned the street quickly for Inuyasha, desperate to extricate herself from the situation before he became involved. She needed to get out of this situation, and _now, _especially before any of them actually touched her, or whenever Inuyasha did find her he might go into a rage. While her attention was split between searching for that spot of bright red – which to her dismay was no longer in the tree – and the guy who'd been doing most of the talking so far, another grabbed her arm, making her panic. "Let go!" she shouted, swinging the cardboard carrier at him.

Her shout, and the resulting ruckus that ensued when she landed her hit and gelato rained all over the man's head, finally attracted the attention of a goodly number of people passing by on the street. None of them bothered to intervene and help her though; they all just stood uncomfortably, watching the drama unfold from a distance.

The rest of the guys laughed as the cold dessert dripped down his face, which Kagome _hoped _meant that he could laugh it off as well, but of course she wasn't that lucky. "Shut the fuck up!" he snapped at his friends, prompting them to taper off into snickers then finally quiet as they noticed his reaction, staring at him speculatively. Fists clenched at his sides she could see him actually starting to vibrate in fury.

"You…little…BITCH!" he seethed, gradually increasing in volume until he was shouting the last word, effectively grabbing the attention of the other people on the street who hadn't already noticed their scuffle. He swung wildly at her but the gelato had trickled down into his face and eyes, blurring his vision, and Kagome was able to dodge away and block the rest of the blow. She dared not take her eyes off him but her senses were honed to the others around her, wondering if they were going to follow their buddy's example.

One stepped forward, crowding her in and keeping her from running, but the rest hung back. "Man, that's so not cool," she heard one of them mutter. _Not doing anything to stop it though, are you tough guy?_ she groused. _Everyone wants to just sit on the sidelines and complain but no one will ever step up and actually _do _anything! Stupid, docile, apathetic people!_

While gelato-man was wiping off his face she took the time to try and bluff her way out one more time. "The tetsudai I'm with isn't human," not a lie and she could talk around his being hanyou, "and you're going to be in enough trouble with him already. He'll be pissed for your harassing me, your _touching _me, but that'll be nothing compared to your trying to hit me."

_Please buy it, please buy it_, she silently prayed, and when his eyes scanned the crowd still staring at them she could see the battle playing within him between which way his pride would push him. Would he prefer to be seen as a coward who walks away when the opponent is potentially much tougher than he is, or would he prefer to be seen as the jerk who doesn't mind getting rough with a girl? When his eyes hardened she cursed her rotten luck.

Immediately she started backing up. She'd make a run for it, hide in the crowd, lose him in the mash of people and labyrinth of streets. Inuyasha would be able to track her down, no problem, but she couldn't let him find her like _this_. Before she could make her getaway though the guy who'd been blocking her path, the one she'd been hoping she could make a feint around, grabbed her firmly by the arms, halting her momentum.

"Oh no, you can't be serious," she whispered, dread pooling in her gut, because she knew before her attacker even raised his hand that the hit would never land. He yelled, charging at her, but Kagome felt her clothes rustle at someone else's quick movement and the blow meant for her never came. She cursed the stupid group of immature idiots to hell and back for getting her, and thereby _him, _involved in this, because there stood Inuyasha, hand wrapped around the fist her attacker, effectively holding him in place. Even if he hadn't been physically restraining the man, the rage rolling off him in waves would have paralyzed most lesser men, and her attacker was most certainly one of them as he stared in open-mouthed horror.

Inuyasha didn't say a word, just tightened his hold on the man's hand and pitched him across the alley where he landed hard and slumped against the wall with a dazed look about him before finally collapsing completely into unconsciousness. The others fled instantly save for the one man who'd earlier been trying to cow her with his presence. He took stock of Inuyasha, staring at the ears that proudly proclaimed his hanyou heritage. _Next time I'm getting him a hat with a chin strap! _Kagome vowed, wondering when the cap she'd given him had fallen off. The man looked Inuyasha up and down, sizing him up, but as soon as Inuyasha turned the full force of his fury on him he also gave up and ran after his buddies, knocking people over in his haste to get away.

By then they'd all well scattered but if Kagome knew anything she guessed Inuyasha had already likely pinned each and every one of them by scent and would track them all down if she didn't stop him. He took one step after the last one who'd fled and she lunged for him, grabbing hold of his sleeve. "Inuyasha?" she breathed and instantly all his focus was on her. He gingerly grasped her shoulders to pull her toward him, as if afraid he himself would hurt her, his hands running all over to ensure she wasn't wounded anywhere.

She pulled back from him slightly, cupping his cheeks and pulling his eyes to hers. "I'm fine, really. They never got the chance to do anything and you stopped them before it got serious. In fact I don't think any of them really intended to do anything serious except for the one you took care of. It's all okay." Only now, seeing her hands on him, did she realize she was trembling slightly. From the look on Inuyasha's face he was quite aware of that fact as well.

"It's not fucking okay. They _tried _to hurt you and that's plenty to warrant me going after 'em and beating 'em all senseless."

"Inuyasha, wait!" Kagome pleaded, latching onto his sleeve. "Stay here with me, please?"

His jaw unclenched slightly at her words. "Oh, yeah, 'course."

"I mean it, please don't go after them. I don't want you in trouble because of me."

"What, you think I couldn't kick their pathetic asses?"

"No, I meant it more in reference to," she sighed, pointing to the policeman weaving his way through the crowd, "that."

"What's going on here?" he barked at them. He'd obviously heard the commotion and had a good idea what had happened, which went some way toward explaining the censure in his eyes. That look turned to outright contempt though when his gaze landed on Inuyasha's ears.

Kagome stepped forward, trying to pull the cop's attention to her. "I was getting harassed by a group of guys and Inuyasha here was kind enough to step in and save me."

"Harassed?" he asked, clearly dubious. "I don't see anyone around."

"That's because, as I stated, Inuyasha stepped in and scared them off. They all ran except for the one guy sprawled on the pavement over there."

The policeman spun to see who she was indicating and the crowd parted to give him a clear view. "You knocked him out cold," he said, half in wonder, before coming back to himself. "Something that drastic doesn't seem like it could have been self-defense. Besides," he sneered, "who's ever heard of a hanyou stepping in to save anyone?"

Kagome glared at him, hands on hips. "When was the last time you dealt with any hanyou, huh? Have you ever? How can you simply assume they're only self-serving if you've never met one? And even if you have met one or two –that's not enough to judge an entire race."

The cop cut her off with a rough slash of his hand through the air. "That's enough, miss. It's my job to ensure the safety of this town and its inhabitants, and all I can see is that your hanyou over there caused enough damage to that man," he pointed with his thumb over his shoulder, "to clean his block. He's going to have to go to the station with me as a possible threat and menace to society at large."

Kagome gaped at him, glancing back hastily at Inuyasha as he growled under his breath. "You're going to do what? You have no proof of anything, other than a vindictive need to assume the worst of him because of his race, which is _profiling, _not police work. Besides, as I mentioned, he saved me from that gang over there. If anything you should be going after them to keep them from harassing other members of your precious society today." She glanced beseechingly at the crowd, knowing any of them could verify her claim, but they all averted their eyes when she tried to catch their gazes.

"Sorry, miss," the policeman said, his tone cold after her outburst, "but your speech doesn't change the situation at all. Unless you'd like to accompany your friend to the station I suggest you step aside."

Desperate, she tried one last thing. "You know, you'll be getting yourself into a lot of trouble if you do this. He's a tetsudai at the Bacana Shrine, one of their most sought after workers actually, and the Shrine will have your hide if you take him to jail for protecting his client and end up costing them money for the extra time they'll have to compensate me for."

The cop actually laughed. "You are one horrible liar, girl. Like the honorable Bacana Shrine would employ anything as dirty as a hanyou. Who would pay for such a creature?" He shook his head, caught somewhere between bemused and amused. "Really, you should have at least thought of a better story than that."

"Fine then," she said haughtily, sticking her nose in the air and grasping Inuyasha's hand, "I guess you'll just have to take us both and deal with all the unfortunate consequences later." She squeezed his hand, a reminder that she'd stick by his side no matter what, and took a quick glance at his face, worried that he'd been so silent through everything. His features looked like they'd been carved in stone, his hand cold in hers, like he was cutting himself off from everything outside of him. She cursed the cop for what he was doing to him.

The policeman approached, hesitated for a moment as if unsure whether to touch Inuyasha or not. Before he could decide Kagome shook her head. "He could break your handcuffs like paper if he wished, so your hold won't do much either."

He pulled back for a moment, considered, then grabbed onto Kagome's wrist very lightly while keeping an eye on Inuyasha. "Then I'll lead you and you'll lead him."

Before they took a single step though a high pitched voice rang out over the now unnaturally silent street. "Mommy, why is that man taking the good guy away?" All three heads snapped toward the direction of a voice, finding a small boy, about five years old, tugging on the skirt of an older woman. "Mommy?"

Seeing as he was getting no response from her the child turned to his father, latching onto his hand and pulling hard, trying to get a better answer. "Daddy, didn't you say it's wrong to bully and that bullies are the bad guys?" When his father didn't answer immediately the boy pulled harder, asking again, "Didn't you?"

"Ye-yes, son," the man answered hesitantly, obviously uncomfortable.

"That guy saved the girl, so that makes him the hero, right?" The boy didn't wait for a response this time, just spoke faster and faster. "The other ones were the bad guys so why isn't Mr. Policeman going after them? Cops are good guys too, right? So he should want to protect the nice lady too, right? So if the cop is good and the hero guy is good then why aren't they getting along? Where is the cop trying to take the hero? He _is _a hero, isn't he daddy?"

They could all see the dilemma playing across the man's face. He'd obviously spoken at length to his son about bullying, right and wrong, and good verses evil, but hadn't yet passed on his aversion – if one could judge the look on his face – of hanyou. Still, how to explain that to a five year old? His son wouldn't understand, so either he could have his son see him standing up for the 'hero' or standing up for the 'bullies'. There were no other options for him just then.

He let out a little bit of a sigh but couldn't prevent a smile as he picked his son up in his arms, mussing his hair a bit. "My son is right." The boy beamed. "The-" He paused, changed his wording. "That guy there, he stepping in when the lady was being picked on by that gang of boys. No one else stepped in so he really had no choice as things looked like they were about to get serious. He really was a hero."

Both Kagome and the policeman gaped at the announcement, but a quick glance at Inuyasha showed he was still stone-faced. However, after the father made his proclamation, backing Inuyasha, so did his wife. Then so did someone else in another section of the crowd, shouting, "Yeah man, you should really be out there chasing those bums, or at least arresting the one lying there on the pavement. They really are a menace and this isn't the first time I've seen them prowling the streets and harassing women."

This sent off more sparks of agreement, support for Inuyasha, barbs at others who didn't step in to save Kagome earlier, and then finally someone started in with applause. Kagome was stunned, her head jerking up to see the little boy who'd started the whole thing cheering heartily as his 'hero' was vindicated. His family was smiling up at him, clapping along, and a few others spread around even joined in as well. It certainly didn't filter across the entire crowd but there was enough sound generated that it turned a few heads of passers-by who hadn't already craned their necks to see what was going on.

Only then did Miroku and Sango finally show up. Miroku popped an elbow up on the policeman's shoulder, leaning against him, and grinned like he hadn't a care in the world. "Ah, Kagome, Inuyasha, we've been wondering where you two got off to. Should've guessed you'd somehow be in the middle of all of this."

The cop spluttered. "Miroku-sama," he deferred and Kagome was amazed at the amount of respect the man was showing him. It was much more like what she'd experienced out in the town with Kouga and must be the treatment more typical to Shrine workers. "You know these two?"

"But of course. Kagome is my good friend and Inuyasha is my fellow tetsudai. Didn't they tell you?"

Kagome turned on him, crossed her arms, and glared with a look of 'I told you so.' The policeman looked back and forth between them, obviously having trouble believing what they were saying. "You're kidding me, right?"

Miroku shrugged. "Not at all. In fact, if you want to know a secret…" He leaned in closely to the man's ear. "Now, don't let this information slip out to the general public, but Inuyasha here is actually even more popular than yours truly. I know, I know," he said, leaning back and putting his hands up, "it's impossible to believe anyone could be more sought after than myself, but he is actually one of the most highly requested and exclusive tetsudai in the Shrine. Say," he said, as if just wising up to the situation, "just what were you planning on doing with him anyhow? His schedule has been rather full as of late and I'm sure the Shrine would be most unhappy to have any of their clients or workers detained for any reason. Is everything alright?"

The policeman's face crumbled into disbelieving laughter. "Now I know you're pulling my leg. No way all that's true." Only when his guffaws died to chuckles did he look at Miroku's face and see the tetsudai wasn't joining in. His shock shut him up immediately and then he studied Miroku's face further, scrutinizing.

"Are you doubting my word, sir?" Miroku said in a deadly calm that had them all on edge.

"N-no. Not at all, sir! I just know you like to pull your pranks every now and then and keep everyone laughing. I mean, really, how could a hanyou like that be a tetsudai, and one more popular than yourself?"

Miroku slapped his hand over the man's mouth. "Need I remind you I asked you to keep that quiet?" he reminded him, giving a meaningful glance at the crowd around them.

The cop eyed him carefully, as if he couldn't decide what to believe, when Kagome heard a voice calling across the crowd that made her outright groan.

"Kagome!" Kouga shouted as he gave up pushing his way through the crowd and simply jumped over it. He grasped her hand immediately, even as the three humans gaped in surprise. Inuyasha's further lack of reaction now had her even more worried. "So, how's my woman?"

"Kouga-sama!" The policeman nearly tripped in his hurry to extricate himself from Miroku's grip and bow properly to the tetsudai. "You know these people?"

"Of course!" he grinned. "This here," he threw an arm around Kagome's shoulders, "is one day going to be my woman. That guy," he pointed at Miroku, "works at the Shrine as well. I can't say I recall ever meeting him but I recognize his smell, though I must say for once you don't smell like old woman!" He grinned again, Miroku shrugged, and the policeman gaped. "Dog boy here works at the Shrine as well, but why someone would choose to see him when they could have a purebred like me is beyond my guessing. Then this woman…" He turned to Sango and sniffed at her closely. "Can't say as I know her but she smells like Kagome, and any friend of hers is a friend of mine. Now what's going on here?"

"D-dog boy? You mean the hanyou?"

Kouga turned to look at the man like he was mentally infirm. "You see anyone else here I'd be referring to?"

"But him – a tetsudai? You're telling me he really _is_ a tetsudai?"

"I told you," Miroku sing-songed. "Now, Kouga, what happened," he continued, his tone sickly sugary, "is that a passing gang decided to take an avid interest in our dear Kagome. An avid interest, mind you, that she did not appreciate. Inuyasha did the honorable thing and stepped in to protect our friend, yet this policeman here seems to think he did something wrong." He turned to the cop in question, a look of sweet revenge on his face. "Do I have that about right?"

The man paled as Kouga bellowed, "What?" He lifted the cop a couple inches by the front of his shirt, not enough to take him off the ground or cut off any air, but more than enough to intimidate the man. "There were men harassing my woman and you did nothing about it? Why the hell are you here, pestering the one who protected her, instead of going after the ones who caused the whole mess? Are you all so incompetent that I'll have to do your work for you?"

"Ah, I do believe there's one of them lying semi-conscious on that sidewalk over there," Miroku interjected helpfully.

Kouga pushed the policeman away and stalked toward his new victim, the cop following behind, furiously trying to catch up. "I take it this means we're free to go?" Miroku called after him.

The man waved them away. "Yes, yes, go about your business as you like." He didn't pay them much attention as he tried to keep Kouga from doing serious injury to the already dazed man he was now throttling.

Kagome immediately turned to Sango and Miroku. "Thank you," she said, bowing to Miroku. "That would have definitely been ugly without your help."

"Don't mention it. Besides, it was that kid who really got things turned around."

She perked up. "You saw that?"

"As we were coming up. The crowd was packed and it took quite a bit to get through. Now, you were going to ask something?" he observed.

"Yes." She glanced at Inuyasha. "We need to get away from here, just have some peace for a while. Do you think you could keep Kouga from following? He'll most likely want to check and see how I'm doing or talk with me some more but I really need you to distract him."

"Could I tell him not to follow because you have an upset stomach and are planning to be otherwise occupied for the next hour?"

"Miroku!" Sango elbowed him in the ribs, appalled, but Kagome just laughed.

"If you think that would work then by all means, go ahead. I don't care what you have to do or say as long as we can make a clean escape."

Sango butted in before Miroku could get a word out. "Of course we'll do what we can. Now go before this guy starts talking so much you never get out of here."

Miroku pretended an offended huff but it melted away into a grim smile and a thumbs up as Sango nudged them on their way. Kagome grinned back nervously, gripped Inuyasha's elbow, and started winding her way through the crowd. She glanced back once and instead of focusing on Miroku and Sango her eyes were drawn to the young boy who'd spoken up in their defense. He was waving madly after them, now situated on his dad's shoulders so he could see over the milling masses of people, and when Kagome waved back the boy beamed. She chuckled ruefully under her breath. _See, Inuyasha? There _is_ more out in the world for you than just blatant hatred._

After they'd extricated themselves from the core of the crowd Kagome started back for the Shrine but Inuyasha pulled her in another direction, the first conscious move she'd seen from him since he'd thrown that guy across the street. After that they wandered aimlessly for a while, Inuyasha's sense of smell serving him well to keep them heading away from the throngs of milling people, until they were on the outskirts of the festival area, only seeing the occasional lone person here or there. She kept glancing up at his face but it was still as impassive, nothing showing on it whatsoever, not even irritation at the amount of people they'd been constantly running into.

Finally, when it had been a good while since she'd seen anyone else around – there were certain perks to having festival preparations in a separate part of town that drew everyone out that particular direction – she pulled him into a small side alley and tugged at his arm to stop him. He slumped against the wall and she cupped his face between her hands to look at him squarely. His face was still blank but there were a myriad of things swimming in his eyes, too many for her to name or guess at, but she could swear she saw confusion, denial, and maybe even the inklings of hope.

He didn't like her inspection, however, and knocked her hands away before pulling her into his arms. He grasped her to him, the hold starting gently enough but growing tighter until it threatened to crush her, as if he were clinging to her, depending on her and the wall behind him to ground him to sanity. Burying his face in her neck he breathed heavily, his deathly tight grip on the back of her shirt never loosening even as she scrabbled to reach her hands between him and the wall. She dared not pull back, worried there might be tears running down her cheeks, worried there might be moisture swimming in his eyes. Instead she stroked what little she could reach of his back and neck, hoping to help ease him into this new mindset, this slight shift in his world view.

They stayed like that for what felt like hours as they desperately tried to readjust themselves to something that was somehow such a simple and yet radical change and all it could mean. Slowly they pulled apart and when Kagome looked up into his face he was smiling, just a small little half smile, but it carried a depth of weight and Kagome's heart nearly burst with the joy if it, of the liberating feeling it bore. She answered with her own grin, having to bite down on her tongue to keep from yet another 'I told you so.' Still, from the slight way he wrinkled his nose she knew he could tell she was thinking it anyhow.

She held out her hand again and he had no compunction taking it this time as they ambled down the streets near the market, enjoying the festival atmosphere. They stayed on the outskirts away from the crowds, in the shadows; just because they'd had a single good experience that day didn't mean they wanted to tempt fate. Still they soaked in the revelry and Kagome swore she saw him genuinely smile more than once as they wandered around.

Only when they passed a family eating desserts out of little cups did she realize she'd forgotten about her friends, gasping in surprised remembrance.

"What is it?" Inuyasha spun to face her, his posture projecting protection in every way, but she smiled to disarm his worry.

"Nothing, I just feel a bit guilty. Up until now I'd completely forgotten about Sango and Miroku. They'll be wondering what happened. We should try to find them."

"No!" he snapped, though he must have felt as shocked at his outburst as she looked, because he immediately shut his mouth and looked away, arms crossed. "I, uh, I just mean I don't wanna have to search through this crowd for 'em and if they're already back at the Shrine I _really_ don't wanna be looking for 'em. They can wait 'til tomorrow."

"Well, I don't think those two are like _that…_" she amended, belaying his worry about finding them at anything indecent, but then she looked closer at him and realized he was actually _blushing_. "Inuyasha, am I to take this to mean you just want to keep me all to yourself today?"

He jerked, spluttering. "What are you blathering on about, woman? Who'd want that? You never shut up, you get us into weird situations, you bring your friends around to start bugging me-" His rant was cut off with an "oof" as Kagome barreled into him, hugging his chest.

"I know, I know," she laughed, "I cause you all sorts of trouble. It's amazing you've been able to put up with me this long." He grumbled but his hand landed on her hair. "And you're right, they can most definitely wait until tomorrow. They're probably busy with something or other anyhow and we wouldn't want to interrupt them, right?"

"Uh, yeah, right."

"Well then," she grinned up into his face, "what do you want to do first?"

She bought him a new hat and convinced him to actually participate – or at least watch her participate – in some of the festival activities that had already started up along the fringes of the town center. They tried all manner of food and goodies, Kagome laughing when his spun candy stuck to his mouth and he made the goofiest faces trying to figure out what to do. Inuyasha chased her around as retribution and they both snickered at their own childish antics.

Finally, when it was nearing dusk and they worried that they needed to be back through the Shrine doors before it opened, Kagome grabbed his hand and started pulling him along. He smirked at her obvious enthusiasm to get back to their room, but when she didn't react with embarrassment as he'd expected but returned his smirk with one of her own, he fell expressionless in surprise before cackling. "I think hanging out with that bouzo has turned you into a letch."

"Not quite," she countered, poking his rib, "that honor would go to you."

He laughed again, the look in his eyes warming her all the way to her toes, and she stared in silent admiration. He looked so much younger when he smiled, a small glimpse of how carefree he could manage to look, and a wistful pang ran through her that she couldn't bring that out in him more often, that he wouldn't allow her to take him away from his burdens at the Shrine. She shook her head ruefully, unwilling to go into melancholy thoughts on such a joyous outing. Things would progress as they would and there was nothing else she could do about it other than to just enjoy every day as she could.

As soon as they neared the front doors of the Shrine though, Inuyasha dropped her hand and slowed. She turned her head to look at him, raising a brow in question, but he just motioned her to continue on. It was then she noticed how stiff and rigid his posture had become, both defensiveness and aggression dripping from every pore, and she realized he'd just put on his 'Shrine' face, despite the fact that there wasn't anyone to be seen yet. Still, she supposed it wouldn't do well for the image they'd worked to portray if they were seen happily dancing in after a day on the town. Mentally she sighed and stalked down the corridors toward his room.

They ran into only a few people on the way, all of which either gave them a wide berth or sent leering smirks their way, but they didn't see anyone they knew and Kagome had to laugh at how such a thing would actually make her happy. To her great relief when the door was locked behind them he dropped the cold façade and became again the almost carefree person he'd been that day with her.

"Well, today certainly was interesting, wasn't it?" she asked, twirling around in the middle of the room. Stopping suddenly she smiled widely at him. "I'm glad you agreed to come out with me."

Stepping forward he caught her face between his hands. "I am too," he whispered, just before he leaned in and kissed her.

Kagome immediately melted into the gentle pressure, her legs feeling wobbly at the sudden, unexpected sensation, so that she took an unconscious step back to steady herself. Inuyasha followed, pressing his lips more firmly against hers, and that was enough to cause Kagome to panic. She broke the kiss with a startled gasp.

"What was that?"

"I thought you'd at least recognize a kiss, dummy," he snickered, but his fingers didn't stop caressing her cheek.

"No." She inhaled deeply to restore some semblance of mental prowess. "I mean, _why_?"

He looked startled. "What you mean by that?"

"I mean," she sighed, wishing she didn't have to ask, "are you doing this just because you're on a high about today? Is this just because you're happy? In a good mood? Celebrating? Because let me tell you, I don't think I could handle it if that's all this is."

His brows bunched together and she could tell he was thinking things over, but then his mouth quirked into one of those crooked half-smirks that made her want to both clobber him and hold him tight. "I'm doing this," he leaned in and brushed his lips against hers again, "simply because I wanna, alright?"

She pulled back warily. "You've always made such a big deal about not doing this, about needing to keep some part of yourself separated." She took a deep breath before delving into the rest, a regretful wince on her face. "If you do this now I'll read things into it you don't mean."

He glared at her, which she'd expected, but then his face softened and he pulled her abruptly against him, resting his chin on her head. "You're an idiot. You really think it makes a difference anymore?"

She tried to extract herself from his firm embrace so she could look at him but he held her tight. "So what you're saying is…" she prompted, her voice muffled.

"I ain't got nothing left. Nothing more."

After so much time with him she'd had to learn to read between the lines but even still, this admission was pretty straight-forward for him and his meaning had her heart pounding in her throat. There was nothing he had held back from her anymore; he'd already given himself over completely as he was able or willing to. She dropped her forehead against his sternum with a choked laugh. The jerk loved her. She'd suspected for a while but had been too afraid to give full credence to her assumption. She didn't think he'd ever say it flat out but now he'd come as close to admitting it as she guessed he ever would.

"You're the idiot," she mumbled.

"What?" he demanded, confusion and mock anger lacing his tone.

"I said that _you're_ the idiot." He must've heard the smile in her voice because he finally let her pull back far enough to see him face to face. "If all that's true then why are we still talking when you could be kissing me?" She quirked an eyebrow but she didn't even get to follow through on her intended haughtiness before his lips were on hers. Smiling, she felt his lips curve up against her own and she had to laugh in sheer delight before sinking back into his kiss.

Inuyasha's hands slid up her back to entangle slightly in her hair, holding her head with a gentleness Kagome wouldn't have expected. Her own were still flat against his chest and she moved one up, meaning to cup his face or slide through his hair she wasn't sure, but she was distracted by the feel of his throat, the muscles along his neck working ever so slightly as he moved his mouth, and her fingertips just lightly rested against his jaw to feel even more.

At the first touch of his tongue against hers she couldn't help but feel giddy, even though it was only a tentative movement. After a few moments of simply lingering over each other's lips she became curious about something else, scolding herself for the thought. Though she'd done a bit of kissing before, Kagome was by no means experienced in extensive techniques. She'd heard of something from one of her friends, however, she'd since become quite curious about, though from their earlier experience she was now a bit hesitant about trying out things she'd learned about from them.

Still, she drew Inuyasha's tongue into her mouth and sucked gently on it which, judging by the sounds he made, he enjoyed thoroughly. She alternated between playing her own tongue against his, then sucking on it again, before she released him and looked at him shyly. He wore this gloriously dumbfounded look she wished she could capture forever but then he came to his senses, pulled her face to his, and repeated the technique on her. She squirmed and groaned and made a mental note to thank her friend later, then when she broke panting from the kiss, semi-collapsing against the closet door behind her, she breathed, "Well, that was quite fun."

"Quite," Inuyasha agreed, before leaning in again.

They experimented lightly with one another for a while, their kisses staying sweet and light, as if they both wanted to hold onto that first sensation of newness. It was only when their mouths were so fused it was difficult to tell one from another, her every tactile sense focused on the licking and stroking and taste of each other, that she noticed how he fumbled quite often. She knew she had lost her pacing plenty of times but she never would have expected it of him until she realized with a pang that this area of expertise must be so different for him and he'd have very little experience with kissing as opposed to sex. As much as her heart broke for him in that horrible contradiction, a part of herself she hated also gloried and gloated in the fact that she held a part of him so few others had.

As if to make up for that ugly part of herself she gentled the kiss then let him take over completely, utterly and wholly giving herself over to him. To her surprise he didn't pounce but instead followed her lead, not gentling the kiss so much as slowing it, making every slide and move and touch deliberate to the point where her mind was so caught up in everything he was doing she didn't even notice her knees had completely turned to jelly. She slumped against the door, Inuyasha's body close enough she could feel the heat of him though he never actually pressed against her, his hands caressing the sides of her face even as she began to sink down as her legs finally gave out.

She slid down further and further, Inuyasha following her carefully down all the way, until she was half-kneeling, half-sitting on the floor, reclining awkwardly against the closet, but she felt too good and tingly to care. Inuyasha hunched over her, his thumbs rubbing across her cheeks, pausing when he felt wetness there. He pulled back to verify what he felt, horror entering his eyes when he confirmed she was indeed crying. Before he could panic Kagome grabbed his wrists and kissed each of his palms. "Don't worry so much. There is such a thing as happy tears."

He gazed at her in awe, his fingers softly tracing the trails down her face. She let him study her a moment, then when she felt she couldn't bear to not be touching him a moment longer, she mirrored him, her fingers tracing across his features, studying him anew. He seemed softer, somehow, and she leaned up to kiss his brow, one hand moving back to massage his scalp.

Suddenly he noticed her position and gave her a wry, almost shy smile, commenting, "Comfy, huh?"

Her gaze ran down the length of him, then up again. "Very."

He snickered. "Right. Well why don't we just make you more comfortable then?"

She guessed his intention had actually been to move them to the bed, but whether he purposely wanted to keep this experience separate from the activities that usually happened there, or whether he felt just as wobbly and weak as she did and didn't have the fortitude to move far from where they were, he just scooted her aside so she lay flat on the floor. "Better?" he asked.

"Not yet." She tugged on his top until he settled down next to her. He leaned on one elbow so he was still over her, able to kiss her easily enough without crushing her, but still leaving enough space that the air wasn't too sexually charged. "Mm, yeah, much better now." Then just like that he leaned over and met her mouth with his again.

They explored their newfound intimacy for what felt like hours and, from what Kagome's back told her the next day, probably had been. They kissed and probed and touched, though neither moved to push it any further, and when they were both too exhausted to do anything more Inuyasha snuggled his head on her chest, Kagome stroking his hair as he stroked her side, and they both fell asleep, there on the cold cement, fully clothed for the first time since they'd met.

* * *

**Long A/N is long:**

Odd as it is, I'm really not obsessed with gelato. Not even a big fan actually. I don't know how I picked that as the arbitrary food item for Kagome to goggle over, but there it is. Yay random.

One of my betas pointed out that as I originally had the 'harassment' scene didn't coincide with current Japanese law. I tried to remedy that but it just didn't mesh, so I decided I can get away with it since the Japan I'm writing about here isn't really current day Japan, but an alternate though similar version of it that had to evolve while having Roman rule for a while and with a separate youkai society functioning alongside it. So please pardon my inaccuracy in that area. (But I did rewrite the section multiple times after getting it back from my betas thus it hasn't been gone through by them, so please also excuse any extra boo boos there.)

Random though utterly trivial background point: I didn't really write this in, and don't know if I'll ever get the chance to do so later, but I have this idea of Kouga being a vigilante in the town. The reason the cop is so deferential to him and worries about his reaction to Kagome's attacker is because he helps the cops track down criminals from time to time, getting fed up with their inability in _his _backyard. He's the type to take care of whatever area he's in, as far as his standards go at least, regardless of what the law strictly dictates he's allowed to do. He very well might do what Kagome prevented Inuyasha from doing – tracking down the rest of the group of delinquents and teaching them some 'manners'. 0.0

Again, thanks to my awesome betas who brought up good points, my wonderful reviewers, and every single reader. Thanks for the support ^_^

On that point though – I'm so glad for and its ability to let me respond to reviews! Drives me crazy that I'm unable to on mediaminer or ! Argh! *hopes they get with it soon*


	26. Instigation

Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler

* * *

**Chapter 26: Instigation**  
- an incentive  
- to bring about, as by incitement or urging  
- to urge on to some drastic or inadvisable action

* * *

The next few days were like something neither of them had experienced before; they passed in their own little bubble of happiness where the two of them were able to forget the outside world entirely, a little bit of paradise in what Inuyasha normally referred to as his own little slice of hell. Aside from their normal activities they took more time to simply enjoy each other's company. They lounged on the bed and told each other silly stories. He let her braid his hair and con him into playing childish little games. She acted out charades to see how she could make him smile, how she could tease the rare genuine laugh from him.

And then there were the kisses. After they'd crossed that barrier it seemed they couldn't get enough. Their kisses were long and short, playful or passionate, and those they even eventually used as wagers. Inuyasha seemed a lot more interested in the games after that little addition, which just amused her all the more, because it wasn't like she would ever really turn down a request of his even without the guise of a game – not that he ever really made any.

It was perfect.

Too bad it only made their two weeks together pass all the quicker.

* * *

Inuyasha stomped irritably back into his room, none too thrilled at having to leave Kagome and go get his checkup done. Kicking the door shut he deposited his cargo in the corner before glancing up and noticing Kagome was actually still in bed. Immediately, he felt a little guilty, not having known she'd still be sleeping after so long.

He crossed the room to her with much more grace than he'd just been implementing but the damage had already been done and she was waking – not that he was complaining, really. An awake Kagome was always more entertaining to him. She was slow in regaining full consciousness though, but the show she was inadvertently giving him was worth the wait. Yawning, she stretched her arms over her head, arching her back, and he was fascinated by the play of skin and muscle, the way her ribs expanded as she took a deep breath. He wanted to touch it, and before he realized it, he had, his finger tracing one rib inward to lay his hand flat on her stomach, feeling the muscles clench slightly at the contact. She smiled winningly up at him. "Well, I've certainly woken up to worse things."

She stretched one more time, trying to flex every overtaxed muscle in her body, before pushing herself into a sitting position. "What's that?" she asked curiously, nodding toward the container half-hidden behind the closet.

He glanced over at it. "Blood."

Her eyes narrowed. "Whose blood - yours?" He nodded to confirm. "Why?"

He looked at her as if she were stupid. "For you of course, stupid." Well, at least that reaffirmed his thought of her mental capacities at the moment. "Unless you're done with all your studying and research and stuff?"

She stared dumbly at him. "No, I- we're not done, but I didn't even ask you for any."

He shrugged. "Didn't know if you were gonna, so I figured I'd just as well get it now, because I sure as hell ain't going back to that stupid clinic tomorrow." Especially considering the next day was her last full day with him.

She was struck mute a moment before she grasped his face gently between her hands. "You're amazing, you know that?"

"Keh. Only a fool of a woman would say something like that," he scoffed, even as his eyes warmed.

"Then I'll happily be the biggest fool on the planet."

He scowled in the face of her optimistic attitude but she didn't care. "What?" he demanded suddenly.

She jerked back to him, unaware her mind had wandered and her worry had shown on her face. "Nothing," she replied airily, unwilling to damper his grand gesture with practicalities.

He wasn't having it, however, and grabbed her shoulders. The look on his face said he meant business and she sighed. "I- it's just that I worry how the blood will hold up being in the cooler for that long. I know I leave soon but after the travel and finally getting it to a place where it can be properly refrigerated… I'd just hate it if you gave all this up just to have it go to waste."

He smiled a secret, smug little smile and tapped her on the forehead. "I know that dummy, but there was no way I was going back there on a day when I don't have to. Since they don't want my blood stored there someone came up with another solution."

Her eyes widened in interest and she craned her neck around him. With her view still half-way blocked by the closet she growled slightly in irritation, then bounded out of the bed to get a better look. It was a fridge, one of those little miniature types that some of her friends kept in their dorm rooms. She gaped. "How on earth did you manage to get that?"

He actually managed to look embarrassed. "It's nothing."

"Nothing?" she asked skeptically. She wanted to push more but what could she say? _Hey, nobody here likes you much so who would actually go out of their way to help you and give you something? _Yeah, not so much.

He mumbled something but she couldn't make it out.

"What was that?"

With a put upon sigh he repeated himself. "Only way I could get 'em to draw the extra blood was to promise not to _contaminate_ the rest of their samples."

He glowered and she understood. Couldn't have extra hanyou blood sitting in the cooling system next to clean (well, maybe), pure youkai or ningen blood. "But then why-?" She cut herself off before finishing the question. Only one shrine maiden Inuyasha had mentioned appeared to have any affection for him, and she had to stifle a jealous pang at the thought of Inuyasha seeing Kikyou, perhaps regularly every time he had his bloodwork done. Instead, she focused on something else, letting her frustration out on a different point.

"But, but these are shrine maidens! They're healers and holy people! They can't really be all that bigoted, can they?"

"In case you hadn't noticed this here's a shrine too, so technically all the workers here are holy people as well."

She glowered. She really had forgotten that. Suddenly desirous of lightening the mood Kagome walked over to the mini-fridge and took a peek inside.

"My goodness, Inuyasha! That's a ridiculous amount of blood!" she said, looking at the number of bags inside. "How are you even still walking? You should be anemic, at least."

He sniffed. "I ain't as weak as all that, woman. I just generate it faster."

She wondered if he knew that for a fact or was just blustering, but figured it must be true given that he looked perfectly fine, if maybe just a bit fatigued. But then again, it seemed like he usually was – but perhaps that was due to the fact they didn't tend to sleep much. "So how do I get all this home? I certainly can't carry a fridge."

"Keh, I got you the damn blood, can't you figure that out at least? I did my part already."

She glared at him but then started mumbling to herself as she contemplated the possibilities. "I'm sure I could ask Ryu, or if nothing else I can sneak out to buy a cooler at some point…"

She smiled a bit when Inuyasha stiffened at the mention of her leaving, even just for a bit. She could tell he wanted to forbid her, but how could he when he'd just dumped the problem onto her shoulders? She'd offer to bring him with her but knew that one town outing had been enough for her visit. Besides, one look at him and she knew that, despite his declaration, he'd probably scour every bit of the Shrine looking for an ice chest before letting her skip out on their time together.

Glancing over her shoulder at him, though, reminded her that there were other things she'd rather be doing now that he was back, so they put it out of their minds for the duration of the night.

Luckily, the next morning right before the Shrine closed up for the day, she was able to phone over and snag one from Ryu. It was a small one that would just fit what she needed, plus some ice packs he had that fit neatly in a top compartment. She insisted on paying him for it and, though he initially refused payment, she went on about how much he'd gone out of his way for her, time and time again, and how she'd feel guilty if she took anything else from him.

He caved.

So, feeling much better about her newly acquired cooler, she set it next to the mini-fridge in preparation for her leaving. The past day and a half had passed in a blur, going entirely too quickly for her taste – as they always did when she was there. She couldn't manage to shake the dread welling up in her gut at the thought of having to leave in just the next hour.

Glancing back to see what Inuyasha was doing, she found him sitting awkwardly on the bed, holding himself stiffly and glaring at an innocuous spot on the wall. Despite knowing she shouldn't take pleasure in his discomfiture, she was somewhat mollified to know she wasn't the only one made tense by her departure.

Taking a deep breath she turned to face him fully, stood up straight, and pulled her shoulders back. She'd been trying all week to pluck up the courage to ask him something and now that she was faced with doing it she had to do it quickly or she never would. So stalking up to him she ignored the startled, almost suspicious reaction he had in the face of her determination.

"I, uh, I-I, erm…" Irritated at her inability to put voice to her thoughts she just blurted them out. "Look, is there any chance you want to come home with me now?"

Taken aback by her request he paused a moment before asking, "What do you mean? You want another couple weeks or something?"

She glared, confusing him even further, but she was having enough trouble with this conversation as it was. "No, I mean do you want to come _home _with me, and…stay there and stuff," she finished lamely. "Oh, you know what I mean."

Inuyasha went from concussed to outright panicked in less than a second. "What happened to five years? Was that just a lie then?"

"What? No!" she countered immediately, incensed at the accusation. She knew she'd just pushed him beyond where he was comfortable and he was being defensive, but she was already on edge enough from having to bring up the subject so her nerves weren't able to handle any more stress. So she added sarcastically, "Actually yes, of course, I was stringing you along all the time by letting you believe I was willing to wait and that I _don't _have trouble with this separation and everything. How could you stand to be around such a deceitful person!"

She stopped, breathing heavily. She really hadn't meant to say that, she hadn't, but she supposed some of her insecurities were bubbling too close to the surface and the realities of their situation were weighing on her mind.

"Well, if that's how you're going to be about it…" he muttered darkly under his breath, but Kagome cut him off before he could say anything further.

"Look, that's not what I meant." Sighing in defeat she slumped onto the bed. "I know you don't trust me fully yet, that you don't believe I won't change my mind about this."

He looked like he was going to argue the point, and she raised an eyebrow in skepticism, but when he couldn't say anything that either of them wouldn't be able to pick out instantly as a lie, he shut his mouth.

"I know you've got your reasons," she continued. "I don't like it, not one bit, but I respect it. Still, I just didn't know if things might've changed considering, well, all things considered."

"Meaning…" he prompted, not completely seeing where she was going, and she glowered at him for making her spell it out.

"Since things…happened." She couldn't put it into words, it made it seem so childish, but as she gestured at the closet where they'd had their recent encounter, she saw a look of dawning comprehension wash over his features.

"Oh, yeah. I mean, no." He shook his head as if to clear it. "Things…haven't changed," he stated, cringing even as he said it. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye and she couldn't help but smile ruefully, just a bit, knowing that he was worried about her reaction to his words.

"I figured as much." She shrugged, as if it was no big deal. "But hey, I had to try, right?" Her voice rang falsely cheerily even to her own ears, so she got up from the bed to busy her hands with her pack or something, anything to keep from having to face Inuyasha. He forestalled her though with a hand on her shoulder.

"It's not that…I-I…damn," he said finally, not knowing what else to say.

She chuckled at the invective, the tension lightened just a bit with the sound. "I already know," she said, placing her hand over his. "Like I said, I don't like it, but I _do _understand. I just had to check, just in case."

She gave him a smile, tiny but real this time, and he relaxed marginally, pulling her to him. "You still worry me, though," she said into his chest.

"Yeah, I know," he replied gruffly.

"No, I mean it." She pushed back slightly to stare up at him, then rested her forehead heavily against the hard bone of his sternum. "All this really scares me sometimes. No, more than sometimes. On occasion I wonder if it would really be that awful of me to somehow con you into going back home with me _now_, guilting you into it or something. Even if you came to hate me for it at least you'd be safer and more alive than you are here."

He really didn't know what to say to that so he stayed quiet.

"Inuyasha, you do know I just want you to be happy, right?" she said in a small voice.

"Yeah," he whispered back. The small hesitation before he spoke meant he might not fully believe it but he was working on it, so at least she had that much.

"Then you need to stand up for yourself some more, you know?" She wished against reason that she could tell him he now technically had human legal rights, but knew that would only work against his state of mind right now. _Damn him for being so stubborn._

"If the Shrine prizes you as much as they say they do, then they owe you a whole lot more. I know you think you can handle everything, but they're running you ragged and you deserve better. Remember that, all right? You promised me you'll take better care of yourself, but that means you need to try to be happy too. Do whatever it takes because it's _your _life. You can't let the people here dictate it to you forever."

His face was very carefully blank, which made her wonder whether he was pondering her words or had closed off because she'd gone too far, but she couldn't regret what she'd said. He would have to learn to take more for himself sooner or later, despite the fact that she was sure the will had been ground out of him more times than he could count. It was the only way he could continue to stand. She only hoped she was able to get him out of here, and the sooner the better, to help facilitate that.

"Look, you need to take care of yourself, but why bother keeping yourself safer if you're still miserable? Promise me you'll try to find your own happiness."

He chuckled. "What does that even mean?"

"Whatever you want it to mean. You deserve joy in your life as much as anyone else – no, _more_ than everyone else considering all you've had to endure so far." What scared her was that, when she really sat and thought about it, she wasn't sure there was anything inspiring him to keep living other than his stubborn pride and simple survival instinct. What was life without at least even the occasional joy?

He snorted. "You mean coming home with you?"

She smacked him on the arm. "You know that's not what I'm trying to say. Of course you know you're always welcome, _always_, but I'm talking about you finding your own happiness. And if, in the end, it happens to lead to my doorstep, well all the better." She grinned mischievously.

"Even if my choice isn't something you would pick? What if I decide it'll make me happy to dance on the top of Mt. Fuji every afternoon for the rest of my life?"

"Then I'll come watch with popcorn and a camcorder." She nudged him in the ribs. "So…promise?"

"Keh, fine." His look turned calculating. "As long as we're talking about my happiness then…"

He bent his head toward hers, stopping when there was a sudden knock on the door and Kagome started, both of them turning to stare at the door in open curiosity. When no one called from the other side, Inuyasha barked out a gruff, "Yeah? What'dya want?"

"It's Miroku."

'Miroku?' Kagome mouthed silently, quirking a brow at Inuyasha. "What are you doing here?" she asked aloud.

"Ryu asked me to help you carry your things to the train station. Isn't it about time you're leaving?"

She glanced to the clock with a heavy heart. Sure enough, he was right. "Oh, well, thank you," she called, alternately pleased for the help but irritated at being interrupted. "Just wait for me at Ryu's desk – I'll be out in a couple minutes."

"All right." Despite his voice being heavily muffled by the thickness of the door, she could detect traces of humor in his words. "Don't take too long though," he warned, "and don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Inuyasha snorted. "Like that rules out much," he ribbed, even as his arms wound their way tightly around Kagome's middle.

Kagome waited for a retort but it sounded like he'd already gone. She spun in Inuyasha's arms to find him smirking down at her. "Well, why don't we take the buozo's advice then?"

Raising her eyebrows, she inquired coyly, "And which advice was that?"

He chuckled, already lowering his face to hers. "To not do anything he wouldn't do…and to not take too long about it."

* * *

A few minutes later a very flushed and breathless Kagome made her way into the large foyer of the building, dragging along her backpack and cooler. Miroku swooped down on her instantly, asking solicitously, "Which of those two are the heavier?"

When she indicated the cooler he graciously picked up her backpack, shouldering it easily. She simply stared at him, mouth agape at his gall. "You seriously asked so you could take the lighter one?"

He affected a look of mock hurt. "Of course. I had a very strenuous night at work and am giving up my daylight hours to assist you. Could you really expect me to do more than this?"

Despite the fact that she knew he was twisting things around she couldn't help but admit, if only to herself, that he did have a bit of a point. She hadn't expected him to help her out at all and now she was grousing that he was only doing so much. Still… "Some kind of gentleman you are," she grumbled under her breath.

When he heard her mutinous mutterings he didn't act offended, as she'd suspected he would, but instead burst into laughter. "Better," he praised, "much, much better."

He slipped the pack off his shoulders and settled it around hers, leaning close enough that she felt his breath on her ear. "Try not to look so cheerless about your departure. There are far too many eyes here. And while most anyone would of course feel bereft when leaving our company, the air around you speaks of something much different."

Blushing fiercely, she nodded as he took the cooler from her hands.

"Now," he continued amiably, "shall we be off?"

They ambled their way down the road toward the train station, Kagome having bought a ticket for later than necessary since she had suspected her goodbyes might be delayed. Of course, as luck would have it they hadn't been, but at least now she had Miroku to keep her company. It wasn't like she was in any particular rush to get home anyhow, as she'd be diving quickly back into school work, tutoring Josef along with the others that occasionally showed up as well, and helping out at the Tanaka's clinic if she had any time left over.

"Why don't you tell me about your family, Kagome?"

She glanced over at him, taken aback by the sudden request, but easily obliged. She told him about Souta, her mother, and grandfather, and quickly devolved into discussing how readily they'd adapted to having their home invaded by her hanyou and youkai friends.

Miroku chuckled at that. "Youkai on holy grounds, eh?"

"I know. Unusual, right? My grandfather certainly wasn't happy about it in the beginning, even with my mother's arguments about this being more useful than selling cheap trinkets to visiting pilgrims. Still, there have been no problems so either my grandfather's powers have lapsed or our ancestors were some of the many who'd amended their shrine's holy ordinances after the youkai wars were settled."

"You think so?"

She shrugged. "What else?"

"Or perhaps," he began slyly, "every holy barrier has always been the same and we simply never realized it. Perhaps all it ever took was trust on the side of the shrine's keepers, or intentions on the side of the youkai, to allow for such unity." From the widening of her eyes he knew she'd considered the theory but had never been willing to put it into words. After all, it was almost tantamount to blasphemy.

"T-that doesn't make sense though. After all, there has to have been some partnership between races throughout our history at some point. If nothing else there have always been hanyou."

"Ah, but I bet shrine maidens and monks were seldom those who entered such relationships. Besides, even if there were trust between two individuals I would gather they typically still carried something of a general distrust for the other's race as a whole."

Kagome shook her head and laughed as her train pulled into the station. "Tell me why we're talking about this again?"

"If you prefer, I could always just ply you with more questions about Sango."

"You're incorrigible; you know that, right?"

"I try my very best," he replied with his most disarming smile.

The announcement for her departure rang out over head and Kagome took the cooler back. "Thanks for seeing me off, Miroku," she said as she boarded the train.

"Not at all, it was my pleasure. By the way," he added off-handedly, "it's the Sunset Shrine, right?"

She grinned. "Good memory."

"Well then, I suppose I'll be seeing you soon."

"Yes, soo- Wait, what do you mean, 'soon'?"

Miroku just waved his hand, the doors sliding closed between them, a look of smug satisfaction spread across his face. "Goodbye, Kagome," he yelled through the glass separating them.

"Miroku? Miroku!" Kagome called after him but it was no good, and then the train was speeding away and she was left with no idea what he'd meant by that purposefully vague statement.

* * *

Kagome hefted her pack and grabbed the cooler in both hands as she stepped down from the platform, breathing in the deeply. City air was city air, but somehow it always smelled unique in this area; it smelled like home.

At the thought she couldn't push down a surge of homesickness. Glancing down at the cooler she grinned, deciding the blood would keep for another hour – '_It's just one more hour, right?' – _and started walking to her family's shrine.

She heaved a sigh as soon as she sighted the bright red torii. She didn't even care that she still had to lug her stuff up all those steps – she was just glad to be home.

Managing her way up to the front door she was surprised by the amount of noise she heard coming from inside and, when she pushed the door open, was startled to see Jinenji there waiting for her. She didn't even get a word out before he'd taken the cooler from her and ushered her inside to where he could stand more comfortably.

"What's in here?" he asked in that slow, rumbling voice of his as he gave the chest a small shake.

_He can probably hear the contents sloshing about, _she thought. Swallowing on a dry mouth, wondering how to explain it without seeming creepy, she answered, "Blood."

He didn't ask anything further though, just looked down at his burden with no little amount of interest. "Where do you want it?"

"The kitchen. Ah, you better let me get that." Jinenji was too large to fit through many of the doorways in the house, which made her mind burn with the question of why he was there. After depositing the blood in the kitchen, grabbing some extra cold packs out of the freezer and stuffing them in the cooler, and then leaving a note lest anyone else – human, hanyou, or youkai – should happen across it, she asked him.

"Your mother asked me to come since she doesn't know much about medicine, let alone how to tend a hanyou."

Kagome's eyes widened. "What happened?" Scenarios flashed through her mind of one of their friends being attacked and she had to squelch a momentary burst of panic.

Jinenji obviously sensed it – if no other way than by her elevated heart rate – and turned her what she interpreted to be a soothing smile. It was still a bit difficult to read his unique features sometimes. "He's sick." He was about to explain further but Mrs. Higurashi bustled in at that moment.

"Kagome!" she cried happily, putting her hands on her daughter's cheeks and examining her fully. "You had a good trip back?"

"Yes."

"Well, you must be famished. Everybody else already ate but come into the kitchen and I'll get you some food."

Turning back to Jinenji she sighed. "Shinichi's fever seems to have spiked again. Would you mind checking on him?"

"Of course."

Mrs. Higurashi steered her daughter into the kitchen but Kagome stopped as soon as she was inside. "Who's everybody?"

"What dear?"

"You said 'everyone else' had already eaten – who all is here? What's going on?"

Mrs. Higurashi smiled tiredly as she sorted through the fridge, paused as she saw the cooler and accompanying note set down beside it, then pulled out some food and set it on the stove. "Shinichi was so sick that he was needing nearly 'round the clock care. You know how his family is."

Kagome nodded. Shinichi was the most recent one to join their little group. He was so isolated he never would have heard about them, but rumour traveled and one of the family's many servants had decided to check it out. The servant held no love for the little hanyou but had thought that getting him out of the house and out from under the family's feet would be beneficial for everyone. This arrangement had gone unchallenged because apparently the head of the house cared less for his reputation – and the possibility of letting it be widely known that his disreputable sister had given birth to a bastard hanyou – than for just getting the child away from them.

Just to hammer the point home, as soon as the servant had left, the boy had rather defiantly announced he was not 'Kegaro,' as he had been introduced, but 'Shinichi'. It was a testament to just how much his youkai family disliked his presence, foisting such a name upon him, indicating what a thorn he was in their collective side with every mention of it. The spirit he showed was admirable, considering the circumstances, and Kagome took to him immediately.

She had learned, from the little he had revealed during their time together, that he was allowed to stay at the family's manor with his mother only on account of his making himself invisible and never making his presence felt at their home. Taking care of him when he was ill was not something they would find acceptable, and frankly Kagome was surprised they appeared to have actually done just that – for a little while at least.

"He was sick enough that he was only semi-conscious, moaning and calling out in his sleep," her mother explained further.

She wasn't terribly familiar with hanyou sickness, but considering their healing abilities, those symptoms sounded unsettling. Her stomach lurched. "Is he all right?"

"That's why Jinenji's here. I wasn't sure what to do with him when he was dropped off, so I contacted him. He's been a real blessing." Mrs. Higurashi smiled fondly as she looked out the kitchen door. "If not for him I'm not sure how Shinichi would be faring, but as it is he's mending – slowly, but mending."

Kagome smiled as well, gratitude welling up inside her, but she was still confused on a couple points.

"Who dropped him off?"

"One of the family's servants."

One of Kagome's eyebrows quirked upward in question and her mother seemed to know what she wanted to ask.

"It was a different servant than the first – someone I've never seen before. She only made sure we were okay with taking him in before she left."

Kagome was silent as moment, contemplating. "Did she come on her own?" she asked slowly.

Mrs. Higurashi shook her head. "I'm not sure. She didn't stay very long so I wonder if she was just like the first, bringing him on her own initiative simply to get him out of the way."

"Is it possible his mother sent them?" Kagome had heard only little snippets about Shinichi's mother and wondered if that meant she separated herself – or was separated – from him, and what that said about their relationship. Mrs. Higurashi obviously had some of the same concerns.

"It's possible. I get the impression she's rather distant from her son. Perhaps she simply cannot safely or easily show those feelings and sent him here in hopes he'd be better cared for than he would at home. Perhaps she doesn't concern herself with him at all, trying to earn her way back into her family's esteem instead, and her one act of motherly love was to refrain from killing him at birth." She sighed heavily. "Unfortunately, I believe it more likely the latter is true."

"Not necessarily the _only_ thing," Kagome countered. "She also gave him his name."

Mrs. Higurashi smiled. "That's true, at least."

It had taken Shinichi a couple days to fully explain the origins of his name, which only gave further insight into the rigid structure of his family. When he was born, his mother had given him the name Shinichi, which must have been a slap in the face to her family to declare him the true first born son. It was fact, but Kagome didn't doubt for a minute that they didn't consider him family, more just a pest to be born – as evidenced by the name they referred to him by – and doubted if he was even in the family register. If she was she was sure it was under Kegaro instead.

Still, it was hard to know anything about the motives of anyone in that family. Had his mother given him that name to honor him, just to spite her family, or to dangle in front of him something that would never be his?

Kagome sat down at the table heavily, rubbing her hands over her face. "Do you think they meant the drop off to be permanent?"

Mrs. Higurashi mused over the idea for a moment. "I don't think they'd be averse to such an arrangement, but from what I gather the family holds honor in highest regard. Granted, it's a twisted, warped sense of honor that the birth of a hanyou can tarnish it, but honor nonetheless. I believe if we were to give any indication of wanting to return him they would take him back."

Kagome laid her head on the table, suddenly drained. Did they really want to send him back to such a cold, heartless place? But could they do anything else?

"I've asked him to stay with us," her mother said softly.

Kagome's head jerked up and she gaped at her. "What?"

"We're not going to be getting much business for a while anyhow, at least not until people become more used to the idea of us having hanyou here. So really it shouldn't really matter whether they're here periodically or permanently."

Kagome cursed herself. Why hadn't she thought of that? Without offerings from the visitors, or the ability to sell their charms and trinkets, she was putting her family in a financial bind. _Especially_ if they took in more mouths to feed.

Her mother continued on blithely, either not noticing or ignoring Kagome's private meltdown. "Since we won't be needing all that room for storing the charms anymore I asked grandpa to clear it out so we can convert it just like the other storage room."

"Like _our_ room?" Kagome choked.

Mrs. Higurashi smiled in understanding. "Don't worry, we haven't touched it; we never would. After all, it's Inuyasha's first real room. We're saving it for whenever he decides he's finally ready to come back home."

Kagome hated herself for caring, for that selfish urge in the midst of all her family was doing and all her friends needed, but she couldn't deny it. Unable to help herself, she got up and hugged her mom. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, "but thank you."

Mrs. Higurashi snorted but hugged her daughter back just as tightly. "What on earth are you going on about?"

"I didn't mean to destroy the family's business. If people already think youkai aren't pure what are they going to think of a shrine that houses hanyou?"

"That we're following our own teachings by showing compassion to those who need it," she replied.

Kagome didn't respond but huffed irritably. They both knew things wouldn't happen like that. If only people _would_ see it that way. "I didn't mean for my plan to come so far as to permanently invade your house either."

To her surprise her mother laughed, pushing her away to look her full in the face. "Kagome, love, I hate to tell you but this has nothing to do with you. You really think I could've turned that boy away?"

Kagome grumbled. "No, but if I hadn't been bringing them all here already then you wouldn't be in this position."

It was an almost surreal situation for her, as she'd actually been considering doing something like this all along, but that was for years down the road still. Plus she'd figured she would have to move further out to the countryside to have enough room and not be imposing on anyone. She was grateful for how things had turned out but felt guilty for dragging her family so far into things. She knew well enough that they'd never be able to turn away anyone in need.

"If you hadn't been teaching them then his family wouldn't have known they could bring him here. He'd have been stuck there with nowhere else to go, maybe not even getting the care he needed. We'd be ignorant, free of responsibility, and living the same shackled lives our predecessors have lived the last hundred years as shrines have slowly lapsed into little more than landmarks. Kagome, shrines exist to serve and protect, to absolve and heal. We're finally getting to do that again and live up to our potential, to make a real, meaningful difference. I should be thanking you for opening our eyes and bringing us out of the rut most of our shrines have fallen into."

Tears leaked from Kagome's eyes as she gave a watery chuckle. "That's the most absurd thing I've ever heard. Has anyone ever told you that you are one strange parent?" She laughed again, because she was glad for it. "What about jii-chan though?" she asked, instantly sobered.

"He's a complicated man, your grandfather. Growing up in the shrine he'd always been taught that youkai are evil, that there is nothing good or redeemable in them. I think relearning his stance on that – or at least that half-demons aren't evil – will take him longer than anything else, but he'll come around. He's surrounded by examples of it all the time. And I know he'd say otherwise, but Inuyasha probably made the biggest impact on him."

"Inuyasha?" Kagome repeated disbelievingly. "But they fought constantly."

Mrs. Higurashi chuckled ruefully. "That's because they're both too stubborn to back down. He saw the way Inuyasha looked at you, though, and nothing that's inherently evil could show that much care and concern."

Kagome considered that but still looked dubious, so Mrs. Higurashi leaned in and whispered to her. "In the middle of the night, if no one else is out in the living room, I've caught him watching over Shinichi."

Kagome's eyes widened and Mrs. Higurashi grinned. "He doesn't know I'm aware of it though, and will likely deny it vehemently if it's brought up, so make sure not to say anything about it. As for the rest, you should see him bustling around the shrine; he's so happy to have something to do. I know he feels the same as I do, having the shrine starting to live up to its potential again."

"And Souta?" Kagome pushed, needing to know how this was affecting all her family, but she didn't expect her mother's exasperated sigh.

"I swear, I need to keep him tied down. He's bouncing off the walls with excitement and keeps pestering poor Shinichi when the boy needs to rest."

Mrs. Higurashi saw the confusion on her daughter's face and laughed at her own vagueness. "Souta wants to move out to the shed with Shinichi and says Shiori can have his room."

"Shiori?"

Mrs. Higurashi clucked her tongue. "It's been so long I'd forgotten you didn't know – it must've happened the day after you left. Her mother died, poor thing, and her family situation was so unstable, what with both the youkai and the ningen sides fighting about her – or truthfully just the power she holds – so she came here. She's been staying with us ever since. So I'd already been working on renovating the second store room for her when Shinichi was brought here; he's only been here about three days."

Kagome's mind was reeling. "I can't believe all this has happened in only two weeks!"

Mrs. Higurashi chuckled wryly. "You, of all people, should know how quickly things can change. Wasn't it only a few years ago you didn't even know hanyou existed? And now look at us." She spread her arms wide and Kagome looked at her in awe.

Shaking her head, she said, "I just never would have imagined my life going down this path."

Her mother snorted. "Few of us do, especially not those who make any sort of difference. I'd guess those who don't have at least a few major deviations from their life plans lead exceedingly boring lives." She laid her hand on Kagome's shoulder. "We all have our parts to play, dear. Mine is here, helping all these lovely children who need some good care, and I think yours has something to do with getting that blood out of my kitchen."

Kagome started then gave her mother an embarrassed grin. Mrs. Higurashi just laughed.

"You know I love Inuyasha but having bits of him around my food makes me a bit squeamish."

Kagome joined her mother in her laughter and, after Mrs. Higurashi shoved some food in her and she took just enough time to say hi to everyone, she was bustled out the door, cooler in hand.

* * *

Kagome was glad that Professor Hirohito's eccentric demeanor and near obsession with his research meant he spent almost all his non-teaching hours in his lab. She certainly wouldn't have liked trying to track him down, what with the cargo she carried. Still, he was so engrossed in what he was doing that she had to knock three times before he noticed she was there and let her in.

She didn't get even a word of greeting out before he honed in on her burden, taking it from her and cataloguing the contents with an almost manic glee.

"Magnificent, simply magnificent! Oh you wonderful girl you." He pulled the packets of blood out, putting one aside before carefully placing the rest in his high-grade medical refrigeration unit. He handled each with such care and precision it made her feel sheepish about how she'd been hauling them around.

Then withdrawing some of the thick red liquid from the first bag he set to work, putting two vials through the centrifuge, one through another processor she recognized but couldn't name, and put just a dab on a glass slide for use with a microscope.

After a mad dash for those five minutes, throughout which Kagome just watched him bemusedly, he finally turned back to her. "Roll up your sleeve," he ordered her, already grabbing a syringe and tubing.

She rolled her eyes but did as she was told. Sure, it'd be great if he actually asked her, but she was used to it by now. Every so often he asked – well, _demanded_ – a blood sample, and since she was the one who'd sort of instigated all this research about hanyou physiology, she couldn't see any reason to resist. Wondering why he didn't just use the bagged blood readily at his disposal, she'd asked him, only to find out that he was held accountable for its use by both the school and the donors.

The school was typically fine with a simple overview of his recent activities, but sometimes particular donors – especially if they also gave monetarily to support the school and/or his research – would want to know the particulars of what endeavors the blood was being used for. Surprisingly enough, he didn't think too many of them would be pleased with the idea of its use in hanyou research. Besides, this was an untapped field, and he wanted to be far entrenched in the research, having made considerable headway in case the subject was made public. That way if anyone else wanted to start their own research he'd still be far enough ahead to be the forerunner and first in most new discoveries.

Then she'd asked why he didn't just use his own blood, and he'd just sniffed at the suggestion. "I can barely remember to make my classes on time, and that's only because the administration finally wised up and gets someone to remind me. Sleep and food aren't exactly high priorities when I'm caught up in something exciting either." He didn't have to spell out the rest since she could imagine it well enough. It was certainly likely enough that if he did use his own blood and got so focused on whatever he was working on he forgot to eat or overexerted himself, he could very easily collapse and take days to recover. Not the type of scenario he'd want any possibility of coming to pass.

Now with a sigh Kagome sat on one of the stools scattered around his work area and held out her arm, already making a fist. When he sat in front of her he was so excited his hands were shaking. Hastily she pulled back her arm. "Hey now, I don't mind you jabbing me with that thing but I'd like it in my vein only, thank you very much."

He grinned up at her, a cocky type of look she never saw on him, which piqued her interest. "I know, I know. Look," he said, holding out his hands. "Calm, see?" Indeed, his hands were steady now, though she could tell it was only through sheer will power as the rest of him seemed to almost vibrate with repressed excitement.

"Okay, okay," she said, hiding a laugh in her words.

He wasted no more time, drawing out a single vial – enough to show her the true nature of his impatience, and that she'd likely be donating again very soon, if not on her way out.

A dollop went right on the glass with Inuyasha's blood and he stuck in underneath a high-powered microscope, beckoning her over to look. Holding back her hair she bent over the machine, amazed at the power of magnification. She swore she could see the actual blood cells! Sure, she'd seen pictures in her textbooks but none of her labs had yet progressed this far.

"Well, what do you see?" he asked eagerly. He wasn't right behind her, as she'd expected, but clinking around at another table.

"Um, I see the cells."

A short pause followed her answer. "What are the cells doing?" he asked slowly, speaking as if to a fifth grader.

She glared at his back. She wanted to remind him that, despite having been in school for a couple years now, she was only going part-time and so was still in far more basic classes than he seemed to expect her to be in. Still, she worried that'd only make him talk down to her even more, or perhaps stop his explanation altogether if he thought her too remedial to understand it, so instead she stared through the microscope, willing an answer to form somewhere in the midst of the smeary red substance.

"Well…um…" She couldn't even tell the difference between her blood cells and Inuyasha's, though she supposed there had to be some difference, since when she moved the slide around there were some cells grouping together on the left side, some on the right, but none in the middle. "Nothing's happening in the middle. Wait, didn't you say the blood is incompatible?"

"Right, right, exactly right!" he declared. "They aren't mixing!" He marched triumphantly over to her, another slide held in his hand. "The two are actually fighting against each other – you see?"

She hadn't really but saw no need to tell him that. It was good enough that he was explaining it.

Then switching the two slides, replacing the one she'd been looking at with the new one he'd prepared, he pushed her out of the way so he could focus the microscope and see for himself the result of his newest trial. "This is it," he whispered, then more excitedly, "This is it!"

He slid back and pushed her back toward the scope, all but shoving her face down to the eyepiece. "Er, what exactly am I looking at?"

"They're mixing! Your blood and Inuyasha's," he'd finally put the name to memory for the sake of keeping accurate records, "they're compatible, a match."

Agog she stared back down at the slide, trying to see what he saw. It did look different from before, the only definable thing she was able to pinpoint though was the color. "Why's it lighter – almost pinkish in parts?"

"It was so simple I don't know why I didn't think of it before. I simply broke down the components and tried to do a combination of only the basest elements."

"Huh?" she asked smartly.

"Plasma, I only used your hanyou's plasma."

"Ahhh." The word dragged out her understanding. She remembered that when humans did blood transfers it all depended on blood type and rh factors, that what type of transfusion a person could accept depended on their own blood type. However, plasma used only the parts of the blood that didn't have type carriers, so plasma from one person could go to any other, regardless of blood type. However, since it only used a small portion of the blood and had to go through the separation process, most blood donations still took whole blood instead.

"So you're saying that by simply using part of Inuyasha's blood it's now compatible with human blood? That it's almost like he has 'youkai-type' blood, and that by only using the plasma it took the youkai factor out of it?"

"That would be an oversimplification, but yes, at least in theory. This is only the first test."

She was puzzled, wondering why this, of all things, was what he'd spent so much time trying to achieve. "But what's the point?" Did proving the compatibility increase their humanity?

Dr. Hirohito stared at her in outright shock before giving in to laughter. "My dear child, can you even comprehend what this could mean for the world of medicine? They heal and regenerate at a phenomenal rate. Such a thing has always been impossible between humans and youkai, they are too entirely different, but imagine humanity being able to gain those abilities through something as simple as a transfusion?"

He wore such an innocent, delighted smile, but Kagome's mind quickly descended into horror at his words. This was all so that humans could gain hanyou-like abilities? Sure, she could see how that would be appealing to the medical world at large, but what did that mean for the hanyou, who had no rights to speak of? Would they be bred simply for their blood? Or what if there were further compatibilities…

"What about other things, like tissue samples, or…or…organ transplants? Could that ever be possible?"

His eyebrows scrunched as he looked at her quizzically, either exasperated she wasn't sharing in his enthusiasm or picking up on her altered mood. "I doubt it," he said slowly, unsure. "It would require extensive research and testing to see if tissue were ever compatible, and as for organs…" He shrugged. "I think it impossible. Even if it were, it would be nothing more than a death sentence for the person receiving it."

"R-really? How's that?"

"Part of the reason that a youkai's body heals and regenerates so quickly is because their bodies function at such a high capacity. Not to mention their impressively long lifespans." He waved that second thought aside loftily. "The main reason we humans grow old is simply because our bodies cease to function as they once did, losing their efficiency with time.

"If, for the sake or argument, we were able to take a youkai heart and put it into a human body, the result would be disastrous. That heart would be built for the high efficiency of the youkai body, and our piddly little human ones would have no chance of keeping up. If it didn't cause an almost immediate death through a stroke or aneurism, or even internal bleeding from any number of blood vessels bursting from the sheer force of the heart's pumping, then it would cause death soon after. High blood pressure would be the least of the problems.

"And since hanyou seem to have similar abilities to those of their youkai parents, it stands to reason that the result would be the same. Even if their hanyou bodies only work at a fraction of the level of a normal youkai's, it would still be disastrous trying to have it work inside the fragile state of a human's physiology."

Kagome heaved a sigh of relief, some of her fears alleviated. At least they wouldn't be brought up, farmed as it were, simply for their organs, their deaths coming at the whim of whatever rich ningen needed a replacement. But still… "What about the blood? What would prevent someone from deciding they like the speedy healing offered by hanyou plasma and insist on having daily transfusions?"

He 'tsk'ed at her but his eyes sobered, as if finally catching onto the source of her discomfiture. "That would fail for much the same reason. Any prolonged transfusion – if the transfusions _do_ work, which isn't for sure, mind you – would actually have the opposite effect. The reason you're so fatigued when you're sick, for instance, is because that is when your body is working its hardest, fighting the infection or disease or whatever else is battling against the normal homeostasis of your body.

"_If_ these transfusions work, and _if_ the plasma brings along with it the heightened healing rates, it would in fact overtax the body, working it beyond what it's accustomed to enduring. It could even go so far as to put the receiver in a semi-comatose state for the duration of the healing. I can't conceive of anyone wanting to live like that everyday. And if, for some reason, some idiotic person did, it would likely push their body past endurance, just like a too-efficient hanyou organ, and they would push themselves to an early death.

"As for the rest, your body is constantly using and creating blood, so any transfusion of hanyou blood would likely be out of the system within days. If the transfusion is for the sake of a particularly heinous injury or something of the sort, I could foresee possibly doing multiple transfusions, but still only in the severest of cases because of how taxing it would theoretically be on the body. For the most part I would say only one would be sufficient, and even then only for those things in _need_ of accelerated healing."

Kagome understood what he was trying to say, but still the idea of it sat like a lump in her throat.

"Do you understand why I'm taking such detailed notes?" he asked, lowering himself to look her straight in the face, suddenly unusually somber.

She shrugged. "So that when it proves a success you can publish a book and make bank?"

He didn't even crack a smile, which made her sit up and take notice. "You're right in part – I do this because I _want_ credit for what I've achieved. However, I also don't know if I'll even be alive by the time I'm _able_ to take credit, and there must be something that proves my achievements."

"What do you mean about not being alive?" She stood suddenly, accusingly, almost causing him to topple over. "You're not dying are you?" That would account for the motive behind this type of research.

He scoffed at her. "Of course not. But do you think I haven't thought through all the scenarios running through your head right now? I may be a bit obsessive with my research, but that includes _all parts_ of it, including those impacted by its results. You think I haven't considered what would happen to these hanyou of yours if I published these results now?"

Kagome could only manage a sheepish smile that was all the answer he needed.

Rolling his eyes, he continued, "So naturally there's no way that any of my work can be published or put into daily application until hanyou have full rights of their own and can decide, in their own full capacity, whether they want to aid in the well-being of the humans who have so-long feared and dehumanized them."

She could only stare at him, mouth agape.

"You know what this means then, don't you?" he asked, getting into her face again.

"W-what?"

He smiled brilliantly. "You need to get a move on it, and get these hanyou their rights before I pass on into the hereafter."

A beat of silence passed before she dissolved into breathless laughter. "Of course," she gasped, clutching at her stomach, "I need to stop dragging my feet. Whatever was I thinking?" She knew it wasn't really that funny, that she was overdoing it, but she couldn't help the surge of adrenaline that flooded through her at the relief she felt, making everything so much lighter. When finally she petered to a stop she looked up at him, taking a moment to just examine his face.

"Are you sure you're all right with this?" His research was everything to him.

He shrugged. "Making the discoveries is most of the fun, knowing I've seen or created something that no one else ever has. The credit is secondary; necessary," he ribbed, "but secondary. That's why if I die before hanyou are societal equals, it's _your_ job to protect my files and documentation, and see that they're published as soon as possible to prevent anyone else from swiping the title of first. Whether it's now or in a hundred years, I _will_ be known as the forefather of this branch of medicine," he answered with a wink.

"And if _I_ die before it's realized?"

He slapped her on the shoulder. "That's your problem, kiddo. I just do the research; everything outside those doors," he pointed toward his lab's exit, "is your arena."

She crossed her arms. "So basically you're passing the buck to me."

"Of course!" he grinned. "Besides, I'm only going to be able to get so far in my research with only one hanyou to base all my findings on. Youkai species vary so much from each other, it's impossible to guess all the different variables their hanyou offspring might have. Just simple genetics show us that the same human/youkai pairing could produce drastically different children. Even were your Inuyasha to have a hanyou sibling they could have remarkably different traits, so it's impossible to tell how broad the compatibility might be between our two species. Whether Inuyasha is the norm or the exception in his blood's ability to mix with yours, I have no idea."

Kagome felt the faintest inklings of guilt at keeping her other friends secret all this time, especially considering what she needed to ask next. "So, what's the possibility of your writing me a prescription for antibiotics, no questions asked?"

"I'd say slim to none." And she knew it wasn't because he didn't trust her, but that he suspected where she was going with this, especially considering the topics they'd just been discussing.

"But it's outside these doors!" she said innocently. "Isn't that all _my_ arena?"

"Ha ha," he laughed sarcastically. "Now what could you possibly want to keep secret from your dear old teacher who's going out of his way to help you with hanyou research?" he shot back with equally false innocence.

"Yeah, I'm sure the research is really all for my sake. What was that you were saying about my ensuring your credit if you die first?"

He glared at her. Still, he did have a point. Besides, she'd known she wouldn't be able to keep it secret from him forever. Perhaps she even owed it to him, but she worried for the sanity of the hanyou back home if he got overly-excited about the information. Still, with Shinichi as sick as he was she knew she had to spill.

"Promise you won't get carried away." She couldn't believe she was talking this way to a teacher.

"Define 'carried away'?"

She sighed, knowing a lost cause when she saw one. "There's a hanyou I know who's rather sick and we'd like some more antibiotics as a backup, just in case."

"A hanyou you _know_? Does this hanyou have any relation to you and your Inuyasha?" He raised his eyebrows expectantly and, for the life of her, she couldn't tell if he was serious or not.

"W-what? No! Of course not! We…I…no, no children."

"Why are you the one in charge of his medical care then?"

"His family doesn't exactly like the bother of taking care of him."

The professor nodded. "What makes you think antibiotics will do him any good? Their physiology is so different it could actually do him harm instead."

Oh boy, it was just going to snowball from here. "There's another hanyou who's a bit of an herbalist, and he's the closest thing we have to an expert in hanyou medicine. He's been coming over to look at him as well and started him on some old antibiotics we had leftover, but we're running out."

"'Coming over'? The boy is staying at your house?"

She bit her lip; she hadn't meant to divulge that much. There'd be no keeping him away now. In that case she may as well just come clean about the whole thing. She'd been lucky up to now in that he didn't care for local news, unless it pertained to medicine, and so had missed her shrine's shift in legal status. "My family and I run something of a safehouse for hanyou."

She winced at the look of delight that stole over his features.

"Really now," he all but purred. "In that case why don't I come over? After all, as a doctor I am supposed to examine any patients I'm giving a prescription to."

She knew he didn't care that deeply about the supposed ethics of writing the script, but that he was reaching for any excuse to come over and see them for himself.

"The thing is, these hanyou haven't exactly had the most pleasant lives, as you might imagine. Most of them are rather uncomfortable around strangers. And you, you come across a bit…," she hesitated, searching for an appropriate term, finally settling on, "strongly. Especially concerning anything about your research."

"You think _I_ would frighten them?"

_Most definitely. _She couldn't tell whether the offense in his tone was playful banter or not though, and so chose to tread carefully.

"Look, the only ones they ever see there are my family, the other hanyou that come and go, and those related to them that come or go with them. We've never had any complete outsiders come over, and I wouldn't want to risk making them feel uncomfortable in the only place they might be able to feel any sort of safety. You have to know that's my primary concern, right?"

He didn't say anything but she could see the answer in his eyes, begrudging though it was.

"I'll ask though, see if there are any willing to meet with you. I think there's a good chance at least one would; there aren't many people who are curious about them for reasons beyond how to get rid of them. That's all I can promise though."

Her words held a tinge of regret and perhaps that's what softened him in the end, or maybe he could just imagine their plight, but either way the tension left him. There was still a spark of mischief left in his gaze, though, and she wondered what he could still be thinking of. "Yeah, yeah, I understand," was all he said.

"So, the script?" she asked hopefully.

He walked back to one of his many cluttered desks and started rummaging through the drawers. While he was searching, he called over his shoulder, "That herbalist you mentioned, does he use known youkai remedies or things he's come up with on his own that are unique to hanyou?"

Kagome thought about it and realized she didn't know for sure. "All I know is that he's said that herbs are one of nature's great equalizers. In many cases they apply the same across species, whether human, hanyou, or youkai." She shrugged. "More than that, I couldn't tell you."

His eyes gleamed as he turned around, prescription pad in hand. "He sounds a most interesting individual. Perhaps you could impress upon him, especially, that I'd like a meeting?"

She nodded. Jinenji was the most likely to agree in any case.

"And," he added, as he signed the script with a flourish and handed it over, "if that fails, perhaps he'd still be open to written correspondence?"

Kagome couldn't stop the chortle that escaped her. "You mean, like a pen pal?"

Dr. Hirohito gave a one-shouldered shrug of nonchalance but an impish grin hid behind his eyes. "It's very common in the medical community when two researchers share a common interest or pursuit but have labs in different parts of the world."

"All right then. I'll be sure to pass along the information." Grinning she stood to leave, almost making it to grab the empty ice chest before he halted her.

"Whoa, just where do you think you're going?"

She turned back to look at him, rolling her eyes when she saw the length of tubing in his hand. "I knew it," she grumbled mutinously, just loud enough for him to hear of course, before she sat back down and gave him a cheeky grin. "Are you at least going to give me some juice this time? Last time you nearly drained me dry and I need something to balance me out."

He leaned in and examined her closely. "Hmm, you do look rather pale."

"Hey now, no insulting the donor."

"Well then, my lady," he said sarcastically, bowing deeply, "one juice coming right up." He crossed to the well stocked mini-fridge in the corner of his lab and tossed her a pouch. "All right now?"

"Just peachy," she replied, smiling the most sickly sweet smile she could.

"Good, now hold out your arm."

* * *

**A/N: **Many thanks to Aki Hana for Kegaro's name. Kega is wound, whether physical or to one's honor or spirit, and ro is a masculine ending, whereas Shinichi (Shin'ichi) means true first son.

As always, additional thanks to Aki Hana for her mad beta skills, and a very special thank you to kokoronagomu for kicking my rear into gear, helping me with research for that medical section and telling me when my first draft of it sucked (no, it really did. Plot holes anyone?) and doing another once-over for me. Yay help!

Next chapter should actually be out pretty quickly. I've just got to get the edits done on it, well that and pick a chapter title. I don't know why but that is one of the hardest things for me to get down. Argh! (Seriously, this chapter just about killed me. I finally settled on this, and I'm not sure if it'll even make sense until the next chapter is posted – or even later. Foreshadowing anyone?)

Anyhow, hope you enjoyed.


	27. Causation

Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler

* * *

**Chapter 27: Causation**  
- the relation of cause to effect  
- anything that produces an effect  
- the act or agency by which an effect is produced

* * *

Kagome breathed in deeply as she descended the stairs outside her shrine. She loved everyone at home, she really did, but with so many people there all the time it could be somewhat overwhelming. Between her family, Shinichi, Shiori, Josef and the others she occasionally taught, and the assortment of other visitors, she was glad for the excuse to leave for a bit.

Josef had forgotten his workbook at home and, since it was much easier for a ningen to travel – alone or otherwise – than a hanyou, she'd opted to go retrieve it instead. Despite the appealing idea of a few moments solitude, she normally would've chosen to just have him bring it the next time they met, rather than take time away from the class at large, but he'd been so disheartened at the idea of not being able to show all he'd accomplished. When she'd looked at the faces of the others they'd seemed to share the sentiment, feeling sympathy instead of irritation, so she'd caved.

She just hoped Jinenji could keep them entertained in the meantime.

Still, just because it was saf_er_ for her to go through the youkai sector, that didn't mean it was without its hazards. Yes, the residents had gotten used to her presence over the last year and, for the most part, ignored her as beneath her notice, but she still made her way through the streets cautiously, halting before she turned a corner as she heard bickering voices. With a huff she leaned back against the wall; there wasn't any way she could feasibly go around them, as the crazy mishmash of streets in this sector more often than not came to abrupt dead ends, and she wasn't nearly reckless enough to brave walking by a brawl between youkai. Unfortunately her best option was to just stay out of sight and wait it out.

To ease her boredom while she was stuck just standing there, she decided to listen in to the argument. With as loud as they were it wasn't like she could avoid it; besides, it paid to know exactly what was happening around you in these types of situations. After a couple minutes of listening, though, something seemed…off. She couldn't quite put her finger on it but a few moments later it clicked. The voices were entirely too high. She wasn't listening to an adult argument but an old-fashioned childhood bullying.

Well, that she could deal with, or at least breeze by if they all had claws out. Just because they were young didn't mean they would be smaller than her. Still, she wasn't an older-sister and pseudo-teacher for nothing.

She peeked her head around the corner, saw nothing, and realized the fight must be further away than she'd realized. The kids really mustn't care who heard them then, if they were being loud enough to carry so far. Shaking her head she made her way carefully down the street, her eyes darting back and forth, checking for the sign of any movement.

She finally saw them in a small back walkway between two abutting houses. They seemed engrossed in their conflict so she'd be able to pass by easily enough without attracting their attention, and she'd intended to do just that until she got a better look at what was happening, her head snapping back to the scene as she stared in slight disbelief.

Was that…a _pink balloon_ they were shouting at?

She had to wonder at the sanity of the young youkai, engaged as they were, fists shaking at the bulbous form floating above them. Curiosity piqued, she continued to take in the scene, confused as to what could cause such behavior, when she had to stifle a shriek when she noticed the balloon had _eyes._ Soon she was able to pick out the mouth and limbs, but her brain almost refused to believe it, insisting it must simply be elaborately decorated.

Then the thing blinked and all hope of retaining her balance in the situation fled, leaving her wondering what type of youkai – or any other creature – it could be. After all, weren't all youkai related to at least one animal form? But what on earth could this one be? All she could do, as she continued to stare in mute disbelief, was wonder if new youkai sprang up from the existence of new creations, and could there be such a thing as bubble gum youkai? Or perhaps a spirit that had found no better item to take possession of than a simple, flimsy balloon?

Her attention was pulled back at the new invectives being hurled up at…it, the thing, whatever it was, and she sized up the bullies. Neither of them could've been older than six or seven, at least had they been human, but being youkai she had no idea what their relative ages were. Then she was able to focus in on the words to their taunts, everything from his lack of skills to his parentage – although that finally cleared up that he was, indeed, youkai.

As the victim struggled to refute their claims he suddenly burst with an audible pop, making Kagome gasp as she wondered if the stress could truly cause a youkai to explode like that, and it was with relief she was a small figure drop from the sky and land softly on the pavement. She only got the briefest glance, though, as the two larger boys towered over the other, shoves and punches added to the jibes and verbal assault.

At that point she could bear it no longer; bullying was bullying and there was no way now she could let it go. Squaring her shoulders she reminded herself she had to do it for the sake of the two bullies as well. After all, she couldn't let those boys get away with this and grow up thinking it was all right to do such things. They'd turn into horrible adults with no relationship skills and very unhappy lives.

Her intentions bolstering her courage – and irritation – she walked onto the scene and made her presence known.

"And just what do you think you're doing?" she said in her best authoritative voice. All three boys froze instantly, lending credit to her years of using said voice in that they reacted before even realizing she was human. Once they did realize, though, it was a whole different story.

The first one sniffed derisively at her before responding, "Youkai business and none of yours. Leave us alone, hag."

Kagome bristled but refused to rise to the bait. "Considering you're yelling loud enough for the next three streets to hear, I think that makes it everyone's business. Aren't youkai supposed to learn stealth and subtlety?" She didn't wait for a response. "Youkai are also supposed to be strong and powerful, and picking on those smaller than you, especially in numbers, is the action of a coward. You two boys aren't cowards, are you?"

They gawked at her, or rather over her head, and she felt the swell of youki wash over her even as she relaxed instantly in its presence. "You two should run along now," Yami said in a deeply menacing tone that Kagome realized she'd never heard, even at their initial meeting. They scrambled away instantly and Kagome dismissed them just as quickly, turning to her newly arrived friend.

"How did you know I'd be here? I'm nowhere near close enough to your house for you to have sensed me yet." Boar youkai weren't the most sensitive of species, and apparently the jumble of so many other bodies around – especially other youkai with their youki confusing the air – made it more difficult for him to pick out particular individuals. "Don't tell me you just happened to be wandering in the area…" she said with a face full of skeptical wonder.

Yami snorted. "I don't live in the dark ages, Kagome. Your mother called to let me know you were on your way and to make sure you arrived safely."

She ducked her head, embarrassed. Really, she should've thought to do that herself.

"And while I commend your bravery," he continued, "I wouldn't advise you to attempt to break up any more fights. Even though they're young they could do you great harm if they so wished."

Sighing, Kagome nodded her head in agreement, even as she knew she wouldn't necessarily heed the warning, then spun quickly as she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye. Apparently the little bullying victim hadn't fled with the others. To her amazement he marched right up to her, stared her straight in the eye, puffed up his chest, and declared, "I'm not small."

She quickly did a mental scan of everything she'd said recently, realized why he was telling her that, and smiled as she squatted so she could see him more easily. "Of course you aren't," she said happily. "But if I accused them of picking on someone twice as talented and smart as they were then that wouldn't seem very cowardly now, would it?"

He looked up at her with large, intelligent green eyes, somewhat skeptically of course, and she was glad she hadn't said anything further about his size. Truth be told she didn't know if he was small for his age or species anyhow, so who was she to say? His tail twitched nervously before it seemed he finally reached his decision and smiled widely up at her. "I am pretty talented, aren't I?"

She smiled back down at him, bemused by the mischief she saw suddenly alight in his eyes. He leaned in conspiratorially. "I was just about to use my mushrooms on them, too."

"Mushrooms?"

He held out a fist and she automatically held out her hand to take whatever he was offering, and suddenly the one little mushroom dropped into her hand had turned into a hundred, all giving out their own piercing little cries. Yami clapped his hands over his ears. "Turn that racket off, will you?"

She watched the little boy war between irritation at the request and the gratitude that came from the knowledge that Yami had really been the one to save them, and though she was sure he might've stuck his tongue out had Yami not been looking, instead he dissipated the mass and stuck the original back in his pocket. As the boy's shoulders hunched, though, Yami chuckled.

"If you've got such good tricks up your sleeve, why'd you wait until they got you cornered? You need to use them earlier so you can elude them and avoid these situations altogether."

The boy chanced a glance at Kagome but didn't look any higher. "Ah," Yami said, though what he understood by that she wasn't sure. "They snuck up on you then, did they?"

Shippo balked. "Of course not, I'm strong and powerful, like she said, so there's no way they'd catch me off guard."

Yami just snorted again and Kagome wondered if she was missing something, or if this was either a youkai thing or a male thing. Didn't seem like a 'snorting' kind of time to her.

"Then you come find me sometime and I'll teach you some new tricks, all right?"

Hope bloomed in the boy's eyes. "Really? You'd really teach me some stuff?" He was nearly bouncing now and Kagome noticed his feet for the first time. A kitsune - _that's_ what he was, she realized with a small amount of chagrin. She'd been trying to study up on youkai culture, so as to better understand and acquaint herself with the various youkai and hanyou she met, so really she should've realized sooner. On the other hand, she never would've guessed they could have such a… _unique_ form either though.

"Sure," Yami confirmed in that gruff voice of his. "First we've got to get you home though so no one worries about you."

The boy instantly froze, backpedaling as quickly as he could. "I don't have a home, I'm not going anywhere."

The pause lasted a few seconds and when Kagome realized Yami didn't know exactly what to say to that she jumped in. "You know, we haven't officially met yet. My name is Kagome." She extended her hand in a non-traditional greeting but preferred to have a physical grasp on the boy so he couldn't make a break for it.

He looked at her hand suspiciously, wondering what trick there might be to it, but finally took it. "I'm Shippo."

"Well Shippo, it's nice to meet you." She grinned warmly, let the moment pass, then continued on. "Why don't you have a home?"

He sniffed before answering, "My parents died," and the glare he sent them afterward dared them to make an issue of it. From the look she gathered some others already had. The taunts about his parents suddenly hit home in an entirely new way.

"I'm very sorry," she said. "Is there anyone you've been staying with? Any friends or family?"

His eyes shifted from side to side, his tension palpable. "Yes, no, kinda."

Kagome looked at him expectantly.

"I was staying at a home for a little while but I ran away. I don't go there anymore."

"Why not?"

"_They_ lived there too."

Ah, well depending on what kind of home that had been – and she guessed one or two overworked caretakers for a group of orphaned or troubled young youkai – that might explain the type of bullying.

"I'm not going back there," Shippo continued. "If you try to make me I'll run away again. I can live on my own just fine. And he said he'd teach me stuff," he pointed at Yami, "so I'll be able to do even better. I'm _not_ going back there."

He'd begun tugging at his hand and Kagome immediately rushed to reassure him. "Okay, all right, we're not trying to take you there." She looked to Yami for help but he just shrugged. He didn't know what to do either.

She bit her lip. "Look, um, if you want, you could come with me for today," she suggested somewhat hesitantly.

"Really?" he shouted in excitement. "You mean it, really? Okay, I'll go, I'll go. Is it a nice place? Are there more people like you? Are there ningen or youkai? What's it like?" He was bouncing around again and Kagome had to forcibly restrain him to get him to listen.

"First there's something you have to understand, okay?" She waited until she had his complete and undivided attention before continuing. "I live with hanyou. If you have a problem with that then let me know now and we'll figure something else out. I will not tolerate any disrespect toward them at all, do you understand?"

He nodded vigorously even as Yami interrupted. "Are you sure this is wise, Kagome? Perhaps I should take him to my house instead. It would be a more…suitable environment."

Kagome hesitated, glancing back and forth between the two. Shippo opened his mouth several times to say something, he didn't like others trying to dictate what he was going to do after all, but since they'd both had a hand in helping him out he wasn't sure which to side with. Kagome noticed his confusion so she took her time trying to think things through logically.

It might be easier to go with Yami's suggestion, let him shelter the kit for the day. Then again, it seemed that ever since meeting Inuyasha she was incapable of taking the easy way out. Besides, as she looked at Shippo, his eyes gleaming up at her, her heart melted. He was adorable.

As she slowly came to her decision, she shook her head. "No. You keep talking about how your wife is coming around more and more, slowly becoming accustomed to Josef's presence in your lives. I highly doubt that dumping another strange kid on her is going to help matters at all. No, it'll be fine. I can take him to the shrine with me for today and you can help me find another place for him that's more suitable than the home he was just at.

"Is that all right with you, Shippo?" she asked, turning to him.

"Yay!" he shouted, jumping on her in his excitement.

"Whoa, kiddo!" Yami yelled, calming when he realized Shippo was just hugging her – albeit rather enthusiastically. Both Kagome and the kit turned to him at his outburst and he chuckled. "You may be small kid," he smiled as Shippo bristled, "but remember you're youkai and she's ningen. They're fragile and you need to take care, especially since you're young and don't have complete control over your strength and powers."

"I know that! I'm careful! Why would I want to hurt Kagome?" He crossed his arms and glowered from his perch on Kagome's shoulder, but Yami could see from the irritation in the kit's eyes that he'd gotten the message. He just shrugged before turning to Kagome again.

"This what you needed?" he asked, holding out the forgotten book and binder.

Kagome chuckled. "Yup, that's what Josef was so excited about. I can understand, though, wanting to show off his work in the one group he gets to be a part of." She grabbed for the items, quirking a brow when Yami didn't let go.

"I'll walk you back."

She smiled up at him, glad for the company – especially now that she had Shippo with her. It should make the transition and the introductions slightly easier to have another youkai with her. "You'll have to stay for dinner then."

"You know I'm not one to ever turn down a free meal," he said, grinning widely enough for the bases of his tusks to show, an ever present reminder of his more primal roots. Kagome felt Shippo still, just fractionally, as he gauged the appearance and power of the older youkai.

"Well, shall we be off then?" she enthused.

They talked of nothing of much importance on the way, except for when Shippo asked questions about the Sunset Shrine. His inquisitiveness was marked in the lack of questions about the hanyou, or why they were at her home. Kagome wasn't sure whether this was due to ignorance – as had been her case, being more curious about other matters, or whether he had that inborn prejudice that most people – ningen and youkai alike – seemed to have. From the way he acted she guessed, or at least hoped, the former, especially since he was going to be spending the day with them. After all, since she was sheltering them she did owe her allegiance to the hanyou first, and if there was trouble she'd be obliged to send Shippo home with Yami. She hoped it wouldn't come to that, though; she rather liked the little kit and thought his exuberance would be a much needed breath of fresh air in the shrine.

Still, she'd only see when they arrived, so she babbled excitedly with Shippo along the way about other things. She only grew quiet when they drew near her home and she glanced up at all the 'for sale' signs on her neighbors' homes. Shippo noticed the change, the slowing of her pace, and tugged on her shirt sleeve. "Did you just move in to one of these houses?" he asked, obviously confused.

She shook her head slowly. "No, I live at the shrine, remember?" She pointed up the street. "You can see the stairs and the torii from here. My family has lived there for generations – centuries if you ask jii-chan."

The houses bore too much aging, obvious to human eyes and likely even more so to youkai, to be considered as new construction. "So they're just all leaving?"

Kagome nodded mutely.

"Why?" he persisted.

She shrugged with a forced nonchalance that convinced neither of her companions. "Hanyou."

Shippo was quiet a moment with that information. "Well, they do smell funny."

Yami glared at him, nodding in Kagome's direction.

"What?" he cried defensively. "They do!"

Kagome said nothing to this, though she felt Shippo's searching eyes on her.

"This is a _ningen_ neighborhood," Yami reminded the kit.

"But-"

Yami knew his question before he finished asking it. "Any residual youkai presence you smell is just from those who traipse back and forth to Kagome's home – like myself."

"So," Shippo chanced a quick glance at Kagome, "humans don't like hanyou either?"

"Even less so, since they also fear them."

Shippo looked up at the human next to him, bewilderment writ across his face. She sighed but she was smiling when she leaned down to pick him up. "Hanyou are people too, just like you and me. You'll see when we're inside."

Then, taking one last look at the empty houses around them, she started walking again.

* * *

Shippo's introduction to the others went better than she could have imagined. If he had any hatred toward 'half-breeds' it didn't show, the only indication of his prejudice being his assertion of his senses being superior to theirs. Even that, though, only arose when they were having a debate about how far away a particular scent was likely to be emanating from, and Kagome didn't quite know how to fault him for something that in all likelihood was true.

Those gathered for class were skittish at first, unsurprising given their general interactions with most youkai, but either their curiousness, their being around the few friendly youkai that loitered around the shrine, or their awe of Shippo's tricks quickly overcame it.

She smiled at their reactions to his turning into a big pink balloon again, their eyes becoming wider when he almost knocked over a cabinet. When he returned to his original shape and scratched his head sheepishly, their laughter was music to her ears. The only one who remained apart from the fuss was Shinichi, but she attributed that more to his upbringing than any standoffishness, and hoped that time would cure him of that.

Given their state of distraction she knew there was no hope of getting them to settle back down anytime soon, so with a chuckle and a shake of her head, Kagome slipped from the room. With as excited as they all were, she was sure they wouldn't be able to resume studies anytime soon. Besides, they'd have more fun and hopefully bond a bit better without her.

Not knowing where else to go she went out into the backyard, staring at the grounds around her. She tried to shrug off the wistfulness that descended on her but it did no good, so instead she took to wandering through the trees and contemplating what could be. After all, Shippo's appearance was proof that things could get better, wasn't it?

"Kagome?"

She was surprised the voice didn't startle her, but then she realized she'd been aware of his presence for a little while now. It seemed she was getting better at sensing people, or at least youkai. Maybe there was a bit of a miko in her, after all.

Smiling, she turned back to her friend. "Yami, I thought you'd left already. It wasn't even your day to bring Josef and I made you trek all the way over here anyhow."

He sighed heavily. "Yes, it's such a hardship, having to come over here and see him actually _enjoying_ himself. And of course there's no decent company for me to have either." He sniffed and Kagome gaped.

"When did you grow a sense of humor?"

He grinned at her then, toothily, which – with the tusks and all – still made the bumps on her arms rise. "So then," he said, changing tack, "why are you in such a mood today?"

"Hm? What are you talking about?"

"You seem a bit…I don't know." He shrugged. "Somber?" he tried. "Does it have anything to do with this?" Waving a hand in front of them, he gestured to the empty home that could be seen between the trees. Kagome hadn't even realized her feet had taken her to the edge of her family's property.

"W-why would you think that?" she bluffed unconvincingly.

"I'm sure you have plenty of other things on your mind as well, and it could just be coincidence that you zoned out here of all places, but then there was your odd pause when we were bringing Shippo here earlier as well. It bothers you, doesn't it, their leaving?"

"Of course it does!" she huffed. "How could it not? But it's not like it's unexpected. Frankly, in all honesty, it's probably a good thing that those who are so intolerant are leaving. It's hardly the environment I'd want to expose these kids to, and it'd be much more encouraging for all of us if anyone else moved in."

Though the only ones who _would_ be willing to move in would not only have to be comfortable around hanyou, but completely trusting of them as neighbors. The chances of such a tenant coming along, let alone enough to fill all the empty houses springing up in the row, was unlikely enough that neither of them voiced it.

"How many of the closest homes have been vacated? All of them?"

"Nearly. There are a couple hold outs, some who hope that we'll have to stop for one reason or another, and one crotchety old man who says it's his home and no one can force him out."

"You're smiling."

"Huh? Well, yeah, I guess I am. Don't tell anyone," she leaned in conspiratorially, "but I'm pretty sure he doesn't mind at all what we're doing, he's just not willing to come out and say it. At least, not yet. Still, it's something."

"That's more than something."

She nodded and went back to staring at the building.

"There's something else though, isn't there?"

She stifled a wince at that but didn't respond in any other way.

"What are you thinking, Kagome?" He had that dangerous tone to his voice that said he was determined to discover what she was about. She was sure she'd be able to wriggle out of it if really necessary, but in truth she found she might actually appreciate having someone to voice the idea to, even if it was nothing more than a dream.

"That building, it's just right there, isn't it."

She stopped, as if that was enough to indicate her line of thinking. For Yami it wasn't. "Yes. And?"

"Not fifty feet from the shrine's property line."

Suddenly he understood. "You want to buy it?"

She whirled on him, face alight. "Couldn't you just imagine it? Instead of all these empty houses around, depressing everyone, we could fill them up. We could remodel or rebuild as necessary, based on what we needed. We could have a school house, a dorm, a permanent place to stay for those hanyou who don't have anyone at home for them. We could even build the properties up from the street, like the shrine is, so it would be more secluded. You know there are plenty more hanyou out there that we know nothing about, so many like Shinichi, whose families would prefer they never returned. If we didn't have to send them back into that environment, wouldn't it be great? I mean, I don't think we'd ever be able to turn anyone away who really needed help, but our resources and space only go so far, you know?"

Yami was silent a moment before saying, "You've really thought about this, haven't you?"

A negligent shrug was his answer but her face was burning.

"So why don't you do it?"

Kagome laughed sadly. "You know how this all started? The reason I learned of hanyou, learned of their situation, was because I met Inuyasha; I met him simply because I was supposed to go and worship, hoping to increase our financial standings. I wasn't even supposed to go there for another three years but the situation with our shrine was dire enough that we needed the favor of the kami. Our visitors did increase for a while, but then when I started bringing everyone here they dropped of drastically again. We're not exactly in any position to be buying up plots of land."

Yami snorted. "Is that all?"

Her jaw dropped. "What do you mean, 'is that all?' Economics 101: it's a bit hard to buy things when you don't have the money for them."

He leaned down, into her face. "And what do you think of the families of all those inside there?" He pointed to her home. "You think there aren't those of us who would support such an idea? Who would help you regardless of what the idea was, just because of what you're doing for our kids? And for those like Shinichi, just think what his family would pay to be rid of him."

Kagome inhaled sharply. "You really think I could take money from someone like that?"

"I think it's a matter of pragmatics and principles. Do you think he'd be happier living here with you permanently?"

"Yes, of course."

"Then in essence you're fostering him, or at the very least it's the same as a full-time boarding school. Payment is normal in those situations, otherwise how can you provide for the child?"

She softened slightly. "Well, I guess I can maybe see your point. Still feels awkward though."

Yami sighed. He was just glad he hadn't mentioned using blackmail against those who would be hold outs and declare neither did they want the child back, nor did they plan on paying for the child's upbringing, regardless of their duty or honor. Well, maybe he'd have to do some planning of his own and keep Kagome out of the loop on those negotiations.

"Really, Kagome," his hand landed on top of her head, "frankly I'm appalled you didn't think of us in the first place. You really believe that none of us would be willing to support you in this? That we're not already involved? That we're all so unreliable and expect you to do everything on your own?"

She shrank into her shoulders and her cheeks turned red, letting him know she'd never even considered asking anyone else for money.

He laughed. "Okay, well I'll forgive you this time. Remember this for the future though, all right? After all, these are _our_ kids, and some of us even love them like they are. I think it's fair to say some of us are even more invested in this than you are."

"Wh-what? I didn't mean-"

Yami just guffawed and started leading her back toward the house. "Well, it's better to see you squawking than whatever mood it was you had when I walked up."

Kagome just crossed her arms and mock-glowered.

"Besides, I'll have you know most youkai are pretty well off. Unless they're complete nitwits with money, most have lived long enough to amass a decent enough amount. So I think that, between all of us, we should be able to get a couple of the properties at least."

He paused when he noticed she wasn't keeping up anymore, then turned to find her a few paces behind. "Kagome?"

Her head was ducked so he couldn't see her face. "You know, I never intended anything like this when I brought up this idea. I'd just wanted to clear my mind, so to speak. I kinda feel like I forced this on you."

Yami snorted. "Were you listening at all to what I was telling you? This is a good idea and I, for one, will be glad to help you out, and as for the rest-"

"I know!" she assured him, cutting him off. "I know. I just wanted to say…thank you."

Shaking his head he walked back to her. He wasn't going to get into a debate about how they all owed her thanks for believing in all these kids – well, hanyou of all ages really since Jinenji wasn't exactly a child. Or how it would be expected of the parents and families to help out in the given situation, among many others. If that was what she needed to do to feel comfortable with the circumstances, then so be it.

"Come on, let's get inside and see what kind of ruckus that little Shippo has started, all right?"

"Yeah."

* * *

Kagome walked down the street the next bright, sunny morning, shoulders slightly hunched from the guilt plaguing her. After all Houjo's effort and kindness – not to mention his parents' – in letting her help out and practice in the Tanaka family clinic, she'd been going so infrequently these last couple months. Granted, she was busy with both schools and ever more so now that she'd formed an official sort of group for the hanyou at her home, but that was no excuse for the way she'd repaid their generosity.

Still, exhausted as she was – she'd had so many things to catch up on once she got back and she'd only returned from the Bacana Shrine a few days ago – she knew she owed them a visit and an explanation. What she found when she arrived, though, was complete and utter chaos; the waiting room was jammed full of sick and hurting bodies.

Instantly energized when she saw all the people needing to be helped, she didn't even bother to ask before she pushed up her sleeves and ushered the next patient to an exam room. The pace was hectic and there was more than one problem patient that gave them grief, but as they finally locked the doors for closing Kagome felt deeply satisfied. Wiping her brow she smiled at Houjo's mother, quirking an eyebrow when she gestured her into one of the private exam rooms and shut the door behind them.

Well at least now she'd finally get to apologize properly. "Has it been this busy a lot lately?"

"It's almost always like this. It happens when there are only two or three people to help out."

Kagome winced. "I'm sorry I haven't been coming much. I know it was a favor to let me help out and I'm sorry that I've let you down." She was feeling worse by the second. "I've just been so busy…" she finished lamely.

Mrs. Tanaka sighed. "I know, and that's why I can forgive it of you. If you'd not come because you were playing around that'd be inexcusable, but we all know what you're spending your time doing."

Kagome relaxed just a bit…

"I do wish you'd realized and told us sooner, though."

…and grimaced again.

"Really, you've been invaluable to us, much greater help than we'd expected – or even realized we needed – when you came on board. So if you're not going to be available much then we'll be looking into getting someone else in here." She didn't mention that they'd already been making inquiries.

"Wait – 'not much'? You mean you'd still let me help out sometimes even though I've been so unreliable?"

"Not unreliable so much as lacking in commitment. When you're here no one questions how hard you work, how much you help out, and how much the patients like you. However, I'm assuming from what you _haven't_ said that the status quo is going to remain and you'll not be starting to come in more often again?"

Kagome nodded sheepishly.

"Then we will need to get someone more consistent in here, but Houjo also told us when we brought you on that it was for your sake as much as ours. You need the experience, the knowledge that only comes through practice, and while coming around only every now and again won't ingrain too much on you, it's better than nothing – from both our perspectives."

Kagome stood stunned. "T-thanks," she stuttered her appreciation. "That's so much more than I expected. You truly are too kind."

"I know," she said airily, making Kagome chortle. The mood broken she smirked as she looked at Kagome from the corner of her eye, haughty mask still in place.

Mrs. Tanaka turned and smiled at her again, one full of much more care and sympathy than Kagome could account for. "Now then, with that handled I think it's about time you sat down." She patted the exam table.

Kagome shot her a quizzical glance but did as she was instructed, her bemusement increasing when Mrs. Tanaka pulled on a pair of gloves.

"Open wide and say 'ahh'."

Unable to get a word in before the tongue depressor was thrust in her mouth, Kagome bided her time rather impatiently until it was removed. "What's this about? I did my annual physical with you about six months ago."

"You don't look so well."

Startled at first, Kagome then muttered a mutinous, "Gee, thanks."

"No, I mean it," she replied in complete seriousness. "You're pale, your eyes are a bit sunken and have rings around them, and you've been dragging all day."

"I'm just tired!" Kagome protested.

Mrs. Tanaka nodded. "That's likely all it is, but I'm a medic and there's no way I'm letting you get away until I know for sure."

Resigned – and somewhat touched – Kagome sat through the rest of her checking and prodding. Finally Mrs. Tanaka looked up.

"Everything looks okay but I'm still going to run some blood work. Even if it's just a vitamin deficiency it'll be good to know and adjust your diet accordingly so you don't continue to become even more drained."

After drawing the blood she paused, examining her face critically, and Kagome felt a prickling of unease. "Could you be pregnant?"

"What? No!" Kagome cried reflexively.

"Oh, so you haven't been with anybody in the last couple months?" she asked sardonically.

"Well, yes, but…" Her mind was reeling.

"Did you use any contraception?"

The younger woman nodded. "I'm on birth control." But she already saw where this was heading.

"Kagome, you and I both know that contraceptives are only ninety-nine percent effective."

Her words seemed to hang in the air for an interminable amount of time.

Mrs. Tanaka handed her a cup. "You know what to do. We'll have results a little more quickly this way, though we'll still run it on the blood as well to be sure."

Kagome returned shortly, sitting down quietly as she handed over the sample.

"I'll have Mr. Tanaka run this through right away."

"You won't tell him it's mine, will you?"

"Of course not, dear." She didn't mention that he'd likely figure it out anyhow since they were already closed and it was only the three of them there. "I'll be right back." And she was, sitting down beside Kagome as they waited the short while it would take the test to run.

The silence was awkward and heavy, though, and Kagome didn't like it. "You're disappointed, aren't you?" she asked when she finally put her finger on what was causing the sour mood.

Mrs. Tanaka sighed, low and long. "Yes."

"Because the would-be-father is a hanyou?" To her surprise there was no bitterness to the words. She was more deeply saddened by the possibility than she was angry. So when Mrs. Tanaka started laughing in response to her question, Kagome was more than a little thrown.

"What?" she demanded, irritated at her confusion.

Stripping off her gloves, Mrs. Tanaka wiped a tear of mirth from the corner of her eye. "Oh Kagome, it has nothing to do with his heritage and everything to do with the fact he's not Houjo."

Kagome stared at her, dumbfounded. "Not Houjo?" she repeated weakly.

Mrs. Tanaka chuckled again, a bit wryly this time. "He's not the only one in this family with a soft spot for you. I must confess that I'd also entertained notions of you joining our clinic and family permanently, but I can see now that's impossible. Not when you're wearing that expression."

She patted Kagome's knee amiably before standing. "Those results should be done now. I'll be back in a few."

Then she left Kagome to wonder just what kind of expression she'd been wearing.

* * *

NEGATIVE. It really was just stress and vitamin deficiency.

She stared down at the results in her hands again, the feeling of being adrift not lessening no matter how long she ruminated on it. She'd been looking at the sheet of paper for almost an hour now, through her walk home and then straight up the stairs into her bedroom. She wasn't happy or sad, elated or disappointed, she was just…lost. Feeling upside-down. Suddenly she needed to talk to Inuyasha, regardless of the fact she'd seen him only a few days before and spoken to him shortly after her arrival back home to assure him of her safe return. All she knew was that she needed to hear his voice.

A quick glance at the clock told her that the Bacana Shrine should be open for visitors but not late enough that the first appointments were starting. She had to smile at the benevolence of whatever being allowed her to find herself needing to call at the most opportune time to actually be able to connect.

She dialed the number, her hands shaking slightly as she gripped the phone, relief rushing through her at the sound of Ryu's voice.

"Hi, it's Kagome. Sorry to be so abrupt," as usually she'd chat with him for a few minutes first, "but can I talk to Inuyasha?"

The pause on the line made her wonder if someone had managed to finagle an early appointment with him.

"Oh…yes…Kagome." He cleared his throat and warning bells went off in her head. "I'm sorry to inform you that Inuyasha isn't here."

Her heart stopped. "You mean another client convinced him to go home with her?" She couldn't imagine what would prompt him to go along with such a scheme; it had been hard enough to arrange his visit to her home, and she wasn't a sadistic psychopath.

"No."

Relief flooded through her, followed by a nervous sort of excitement. "You mean he actually willingly went outside on some sort of excursion?" It would be great if he was finally learning to leave his insecurities behind and maybe give some of the other people outside the Shrine walls a chance.

Her question was followed by an even longer pause. "I-in a way."

The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. "He's all right, isn't he? Ryu, tell me he's all right!"

"Yes, yes," he rushed to assure her. "At least, as far as I know."

Kagome made a small frustrated sound in the back of her throat. "Stop beating around the bush already and just tell me what's going on."

He sighed, a shuddery sort of sound that did nothing for her composure. "He's gone, Kagome. He left."

She needed more than that and was suddenly out of patience. "I've already taken a couple guesses at that so just explain already."

"The problem is, I can't be sure myself. Two nights ago his first appointment didn't find him in his room. We searched for him but nothing could be found, aside from the few items he apparently left in my room."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" she whispered.

"I was hoping he'd gone to you. He hasn't?" he asked bleakly.

"No."

"Then I can only assume he finally got enough of this place."

"You're saying he ran away?"

"It's the only other thing I can think of."

Suddenly it all came together in her mind: Inuyasha's refusal to live as a burden under her care, his pride, her playing on that with making him promise to look out for himself, to take better care. He was gone for somewhere no one could touch him, a place without rules and strictures, where he could be free; a place of solitude where he could live wild as part of him had always been meant to.

And if he found it, he'd never be coming back.

"Sorry Ryu, I've got to go." The strain in her voice was evident even to her own ears but she didn't wait for a reply before hanging up. She curled in on herself, the paper in her hand crushed and forgotten, as silent sobs heaved through her uncomfortably tight chest.

She couldn't decide which was worse: that she'd possibly just lost him forever, or the hateful, treacherous part of her that desperately hoped he failed.


End file.
